McDonalds and the Responsability for Corporate Obesity

Dr. Levy,

Thank you for reading my McDonald's story. Due to the hundreds of e-mails I received after the original story ran, I'm behind in responding to all of them. I apologize for the delay and wanted to let you know that I appreciate you sharing your thoughts.

Best

Julie Jargon
Staff writer
The Wall Street Journal
twitter.com/juliejargon
312.750.4105


-----Original Message-----
From: Stuart levy [mailto:bigstu52@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 8:34 PM
To: Jargon, Julie
Subject: McDonalds article

Dear Ms Jargon,


I appreciate your article about McDonalds.  But I do believe that the people that find fault with Ronald McDonald promotion of the restaurants forget that there are healthful menu items at these restaurants and that it is the parents responsibility to guide the children to make healthy choices like oatmeal, fruit and vegetable salads, orange juice etc.  
Why not mention the Ronald McDonald House which supports the families of children hospitalized for illness?

Childhood obesity is not the responsibility of corporate america.   Childhood obesity is the result of parental neglect not corporate misconduct.   Time strapped parents  find it easier to plug a child into a nintendo and give into the whine for chicken nuggets than to teach the child to exercise and make wise choices when deciding what to eat.

Family planning, financial counseling, and nutritional counseling trump finger pointing at an American born- now-international corporation of which we Americans can be proud.  Ever travel out of this country, get hungry and look for a good meal at a reasonable price?   You can count on McDonalds to deliver.  I can't imagine the logistics that their management makes to constantly deliver their ever expanding menus all over the world.  I am sick and tired of this corporation being accused of being responsible for the American Obesity Epidemic.   It is easier for America to make scapegoat out of a corporate symbol than to look into the mirror and kick itself in the ass.



Stuart Don Levy MD