[Nubella News] - Long accused by health experts of helping foster America's obesity epidemic, McDonald's is gearing up for another battle, this time over a new book and movie highly critical of the fast-food industry.

McDonald's will begin promoting a healthier menu to blunt what company officials fear will be negative publicity from a new book, Chew on This: Everything You Don't Want to Know About Fast Food, by co-writer Eric Schlosser, who pilloried McDonald's in his 2001 best-seller Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal.

In addition, McDonald's announced April 18 that it will sell a fitness company's exercise DVDs at all of its restaurants, starting April 25, to coincide with the launch of get-fit "Happy Meals" for adults.

Chew on This is expected to hit bookstores in May. To make matters worse for McDonald's, Fast Food Nation is due out in movie form later this year.

Early reports indicate about Chew on This holds fast-food companies responsible for the country's obesity "epidemic" among children and criticizes the restaurant chains for paying employees low wages.

'It's about choices'

At the company's headquarters in Oak Brook, Ill., McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner told reporters April 17 that the company's campaign to promote its healthier fare is not meant to cast a negative light on Chew on This. The promotions, however, could only benefit the company amid the heavy criticism of the fast-food industry in general, he added.

For the past several years, Skinner said, McDonald's has promoted healthier products, such as salads big enough for entrees and apple slices and juices in children's Happy Meals rather than fries and soft drinks.

"We're not doing as good a job as we could, quite frankly, in telling the company's story," said Skinner, adding later that the decision what to eat is ultimately up to the consumer.

 "There is a distinction between what people say they eat, say they want to eat, and what they eat," Skinner said. "It's about choices. It's about opportunities for people to come to McDonald's and get a meal that they feel good about having eaten that fits into their lifestyle."

Skinner said the company's marketing panels and surveys determine what consumers most want to eat.

"If they want egg whites, we'll give them egg whites," he said.

In the press conference, Skinner said called McDonald's a "company of opportunity," noting that 67,000 restaurant managers, 1,200 franchisees and 20 top corporate managers, including himself, started with the company working behind the counters.

Mounting woes under the golden arches

Within the past few years, McDonald's has faced more heat than at any other time since the company flipped its first hamburger 50 years ago in Des Plaines, Ill. Courts have thrown out most lawsuits accusing the company of causing childhood obesity, but a New York appeals court in late 2005 reinstated one suit.

Two years ago, McDonald's dropped several million dollars for three commercials after the documentary, "Super Size Me," followed the life of director and star Morgan Spurlock, who claimed he gained 25 pounds over 30 days by feasting on Big Macs, Chicken McNuggets and other items from the restaurants.

In February, McDonald's officials admitted that their french fries contained a third more trans fat - the worst kind of fat, nutritionists say - than they had first thought. For complete Nubella story, click here.

In addition, health experts reported in April's New England Journal of Medicine that McDonald's sells healthier french fries and chicken in its European restaurants than in America. For complete Nubella story, click here.

Source: Nubella News
Posted by: Steve Smith
Website: www.nubella.com

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