Questions answered

There are 12 questions about “Obesity” in the “What are you doing about...” topic.

Click on a question to read our answer.

1. Hi, I am an A-level student from Trinity Catholic High School, and I writing to ask a question about McDonald's CSR. Child obesity has risen across countries such as the UK. More than a quarter of children in English secondary schools are classified as clinically obese. What has McDonalds done to address child obesity? Thanks.
Thanks for your question. McDonald's believes that the national obesity issue is a shared responsibility and a complex one. The Company's starting point has been to look at recipe improvements and providing parents will all the nutritional facts. That's why McDonald's has been committed to lowering the salt, sugar and fat levels in Happy Meal menu items over recent years whilst being careful not to undermine the taste. Further, there has been improved nutritional information included on most packaging and the backs of all trayliners in restaurants. In terms of advertising to children, McDonald's has always been and will remain a responsible marketer and obviously complies with the rigorous regulations in place in the UK. The company also looks for ways that its marketing messages can reinforce positive food messages and encourage a healthy, balanced lifestyle with the children through its advertising and in restaurants. McDonald’s has always been aware of the context in which it operates. It recognises the need for it to meet the requirements of society and customers through the food and experience that it provides. That is why, over recent years, the company has added new choices to its menu, such as Organic Semi-Skimmed Milk, Orange Juice, Water, Fruit Bags and Carrot Sticks. Furthermore, the majority of Happy Meal items (with the exception of the Cheeseburger, Milkshakes and non-diet fizzy drinks) are all rated as not being high in fat, salt and sugar. Many of McDonald’s family customers view a trip to the restaurants as a treat that their children enjoy. You might also like to see our student information packs at http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/people/schools-and-students/schools-and-students.shtml for more information about McDonald’s. (2011)

Email this to a friend

Bookmark with:

What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit StumbleUpon

2. Would you say that 60% of the business desicions that are made are to benefit your stakeholders or shareholders? And due to the growning increase of obesity in the United Kingdom; are there any plans of action you plan to take in the future to reduce the levels of fat and salt in your food?
Thanks for your question. McDonald's believes that the national obesity issue is a shared responsibility and a complex one. The Company's starting point has been to look at recipe improvements and providing parents with all the nutritional facts. That's why McDonald's has been committed to lowering the salt, sugar and fat levels in Happy Meal menu items over recent years whilst being careful not to undermine the taste. Further, there has been improved nutritional information included on most packaging and the backs of all trayliners in restaurants. In terms of advertising to children, McDonald's has always been and will remain a responsible marketer and obviously complies with the rigorous regulations in place in the UK. The company also looks for ways that its marketing messages can reinforce positive food messages and encourage a healthy, balanced lifestyle with the children through its advertising and in restaurants. McDonald’s has always been aware of the context in which it operates. It recognises the need for it to meet the requirements of society and customers through the food and experience that it provides. That is why, over recent years, the company has added new choices to its menu, such as Organic Semi-Skimmed Milk, Orange Juice, Water, Fruit Bags and Carrot Sticks. Furthermore, the majority of Happy Meal items (with the exception of the Cheeseburger, Milkshakes and non-diet fizzy drinks) are all rated as not being high in fat, salt and sugar. Many of McDonald’s family customers view a trip to the restaurants as a treat that their children enjoy. (March 2011)

Email this to a friend

Bookmark with:

What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit StumbleUpon

3. Do you believe in the Long term that as a part of a fast food chain you are causing long term damage to consumers physically and mentally?
Thanks for your question. Many nutritionists would argue that there is no such thing as a healthy or unhealthy food item and that all foods can be enjoyed in moderation and in conjunction with physical exercise. McDonald's aims to provide its customers with a wide variety of options to enable them to make choices that can be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. (March 2011)

Email this to a friend

Bookmark with:

What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit StumbleUpon

4. McDonald's feeds more than 46 million people a day, in 2008, 16.8% of boys aged 2 to 15, and 15.2% of girls were classed as obese. Do you feel partly responsible for this?
Thanks for your question. We are not sure where you got your statistics from but these are not true for McDonald’s in the UK. McDonald's believes that the national obesity issue is a shared responsibility and a complex one. The Company's starting point has been to look at recipe improvements and providing parents with all the nutritional facts. That's why McDonald's has been committed to lowering the salt, sugar and fat levels in Happy Meal menu items over recent years whilst being careful not to undermine the taste. Further, there has been improved nutritional information included on most packaging and the backs of all trayliners in restaurants. In terms of advertising to children, McDonald's has always been and will remain a responsible marketer and obviously complies with the rigorous regulations in place in the UK. The company also looks for ways that its marketing messages can reinforce positive food messages and encourage a healthy, balanced lifestyle with the children through its advertising and in restaurants. McDonald’s has always been aware of the context in which it operates. It recognises the need for it to meet the requirements of society and customers through the food and experience that it provides. That is why, over recent years, the company has added new choices to its menu, such as Organic Semi-Skimmed Milk, Orange Juice, Water, Fruit Bags and Carrot Sticks. Furthermore, the majority of Happy Meal items (with the exception of the Cheeseburger, Milkshakes and non-diet fizzy drinks) are all rated as not being high in fat, salt and sugar. Many of McDonald’s family customers view a trip to the restaurants as a treat that their children enjoy. (March 2011)

Email this to a friend

Bookmark with:

What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit StumbleUpon

5. As obesity is a big problem in both adults and children and McDonald's hasn't had or got a good reputation for being healthy food, what are you doing to try and stop the problem of obesity and lower the percentage of the number of people who are obese?
Thanks for your question. McDonald's believes that the national obesity issue is a shared responsibility and a complex one. The Company's starting point has been to look at recipe improvements and providing parents with all the nutritional facts. That's why McDonald's has been committed to lowering the salt, sugar and fat levels in Happy Meal menu items over recent years whilst being careful not to undermine the taste. Further, there has been improved nutritional information included on most packaging and the backs of all trayliners in restaurants. In terms of advertising to children, McDonald's has always been and will remain a responsible marketer and complies with the rigorous regulations in place in the UK. The company also looks for ways that its marketing messages can reinforce positive food messages and encourage a healthy, balanced lifestyle for children through its advertising and in restaurants. McDonald’s has always been aware of the context in which it operates. It recognises the need for it to meet the requirements of customers through the food experience that it provides. That is why, over recent years, the company has added new choices to its menu, such as Organic Semi-Skimmed Milk, Orange Juice, Water, Fruit Bags and Carrot Sticks. Furthermore, the majority of Happy Meal items (with the exception of the Cheeseburger, Milkshakes and non-diet fizzy drinks) are all rated as not being high in fat, salt and sugar. Many of McDonald’s family customers view a trip to the restaurants as a treat that their children enjoy. (March 2011)

Email this to a friend

Bookmark with:

What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit StumbleUpon

6. Do you feel at all responsible for peoples obesity in this county?
Thank you for your question. The obesity issue in the UK is both serious and complex, but one that ultimately depends on an individual's choice and circumstance. Here at McDonald's, we believe that people have the right to make up their own mind based on the facts, so to help them make an informed choice, we provide our customers with nutritional information to assist with their food choices. This information is provided via packaging, our trayliners and website. We also offer a menu that accommodates most tastes and dietary requirements, including options like salads and toasted deli sandwiches. In addition, McDonald’s is a firm advocate of a balanced diet and an active lifestyle, both of which are proven to be effective in tackling obesity. Nutritional information for all of McDonald’s menu items can be found in the ‘Nutrition’ section at www.mcdonalds.co.uk.

Email this to a friend

Bookmark with:

What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit StumbleUpon

7. What would be the best food to put in a school cafeteria, from your menu, so that students don't become overweight? We are searching for an alternative option for school lunches, and we are considering your company as a feasible option.
Thank you for your enquiry. Our food is only available for purchase in our restaurant. (Jan 09)

Email this to a friend

Bookmark with:

What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit StumbleUpon

8. Do you agree that there is an obesity epidemic in current society? If so, what does McDonald's identify as leading contributing factors to the epidemic?
There is an increasing amount of coverage within the media about the issues surrounding obesity and diet in our society. ItIt seems evident that people's lifestyle choices have contributed to a rise in obesity cases and a combination of different factors have been argued as to the cause of this rise, such as lack of activity, poorly balanced diets and foods. A diet consisting of entirely one food source or ones high in salts, fats and sugars is not a wise choice for a balanced lifestyle. No matter what type of food, it is far more important to have variation and moderation in one’s diet and regular physical activity to create a balanced lifestyle.

Email this to a friend

Bookmark with:

What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit StumbleUpon

9. Why, does McDonalds make people fat? I thought you’re about making people active? You’re all a bunch of liars; I can’t believe all those countless nights i stayed up eating apple and cherry pies! Can you explain to me why your food makes kids obese?
Obesity is an extremely complex issue and is one that is caused by a number of factors. Over the last few decades, our way of life has changed significantly. We have many more labour-saving devices in our homes and play video games, we drive more, we eat out more, we have takeaways delivered to our homes, and we can do our weekly shop on the Internet. There is not one aspect of this that is more of a 'cause' than any other, and there are many areas of responsibility, including (but not limited to) government, the food industry, schools, and of course individuals themselves, particularly parents. All food can fit into a healthy balanced diet - the key is getting the right balance of "energy in" and "energy out" - if you consume more calories than you burn off through activity, then you are likely to put on weight. And if you burn off more calories than you consume you are likely to lose weight. McDonald's knows that many of its customers are interested in what goes into their food and how this may or may not affect their health, for example how many calories a food item contains. McDonald's therefore provides this information in a variety of ways, including nutrition information on it's packaging, on the back on trayliners in restaurants, and on it's website (www.mcdonalds.co.uk). There is also more detailed information on www.mcdonaldsmenu.info. All of these tools help customers make better-informed decisions about what they eat. McDonald's has also increased the number of menu options available to include Toasted Deli Sandwiches, Salads, Carrot Sticks, Fruit Bags, mineral water, Tropicana Orange Juice and semi-skimmed organic milk. The company believes the food offered is of good quality and can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and lifestyle. Marketing to children is a sensitive issue and the company is careful to talk to children in a responsible way. For the most part, it is parents who make the decisions about the food their children eat and a lot of time is spent considering the opinions of parents in order to create marketing and advertising that conveys positive messages to children about food choices, using their imaginations and taking part in physical activity. McDonald's is proud of the reputation that has seen the company grow to one of the most recognisable and trusted brands in the world. A major contributor to this is the quality and tasty food served daily to approximately two million customers in the UK. A great deal of dedicated research, tasting and discussion goes into every food item on the menu, much of this with the very same customers that enjoy the food. McDonald's continuously communicates with customers to understand what it is they want from the company. (October 2009)

Email this to a friend

Bookmark with:

What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit StumbleUpon

10. You were one of the first large fast food chains. 40 years ago kids were slim, healthy because they only ate 2/3 homemade meals a day and no f/food. Do you admit to fueling the obesity epidemic in children.And do you target children with un-healthy advertising?Most people say you do!
Obesity is an extremely complex issue and is one that is caused by a number of factors. Over the last few decades, our way of life has changed significantly. We have many more labour-saving devices in our homes and play video games, we drive more, we eat out more, we have takeaways delivered to our homes, and we can do our weekly shop on the Internet. There is not one aspect of this that is more of a 'cause' than any other, and there are many areas of responsibility, including (but not limited to) government, the food industry, schools, and of course individuals themselves, particularly parents. All food can fit into a healthy balanced diet - the key is getting the right balance of "energy in" and "energy out" - if you consume more calories than you burn off through activity, then you are likely to put on weight. And if you burn off more calories than you consume you are likely to lose weight. McDonald's knows that many of its customers are interested in what goes into their food and how this may or may not affect their health, for example how many calories a food item contains. McDonald's therefore provides this information in a variety of ways, including nutrition information on it's packaging, on the back on trayliners in restaurants, and on it's website (www.mcdonalds.co.uk). There is also more detailed information on www.mcdonaldsmenu.info. All of these tools help customers make better-informed decisions about what they eat. McDonald's has also increased the number of menu options available to include Toasted Deli Sandwiches, Salads, Carrot Sticks, Fruit Bags, mineral water, Tropicana Orange Juice and semi-skimmed organic milk. The company believes the food offered is of good quality and can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and lifestyle. Marketing to children is a sensitive issue and the company is careful to talk to children in a responsible way. For the most part, it is parents who make the decisions about the food their children eat and a lot of time is spent considering the opinions of parents in order to create marketing and advertising that conveys positive messages to children about food choices, using their imaginations and taking part in physical activity. McDonald's is proud of the reputation that has seen the company grow to one of the most recognisable and trusted brands in the world. A major contributor to this is the quality and tasty food served daily to approximately two million customers in the UK. A great deal of dedicated research, tasting and discussion goes into every food item on the menu, much of this with the very same customers that enjoy the food. McDonald's continuously communicates with customers to understand what it is they want from the company. (June 2009)

Email this to a friend

Bookmark with:

What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit StumbleUpon

11. since 1995 the obesity levels of children aged 2-10 rose from 9.9% to 13.7% (department of health). what are Mcdonalds doing, as a possible causer of this rise, doing to reduce the levels of child obesity?
Thank you for your question. Obesity is an extremely complex issue and is one that is caused by a number of factors. Over the last few decades, our way of life has changed significantly. We have many more labour-saving devices in our homes and play video games, we drive more, we eat out more, we have takeaways delivered to our homes, and we can do our weekly shop on the Internet. There is not one aspect of this that is more of a 'cause' than any other, and there are many areas of responsibility, including (but not limited to) government, the food industry, schools, and of course individuals themselves, particularly parents. All food can fit into a healthy balanced diet - the key is getting the right balance of "energy in" and "energy out" - if you consume more calories than you burn off through activity, then you are likely to put on weight. And if you burn off more calories than you consume you are likely to lose weight. McDonald's knows that many of its customers are interested in what goes into their food and how this may or may not affect their health, for example how many calories a food item contains. McDonald's therefore provides this information in a variety of ways, including nutrition information on it's packaging, on the back on trayliners in restaurants, and on it's website (www.mcdonalds.co.uk). There is also more detailed information on www.mcdonaldsmenu.info. All of these tools help customers make better-informed decisions about what they eat. McDonald's has also increased the number of menu options available to include Toasted Deli Sandwiches, Salads, Carrot Sticks, Fruit Bags, mineral water, Tropicana Orange Juice and semi-skimmed organic milk. The company believes the food offered is of good quality and can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and lifestyle. Marketing to children is a sensitive issue and the company is careful to talk to children in a responsible way. For the most part, it is parents who make the decisions about the food their children eat and a lot of time is spent considering the opinions of parents in order to create marketing and advertising that conveys positive messages to children about food choices, using their imaginations and taking part in physical activity. McDonald's is proud of the reputation that has seen the company grow to one of the most recognisable and trusted brands in the world. A major contributor to this is the quality and tasty food served daily to approximately two million customers in the UK. A great deal of dedicated research, tasting and discussion goes into every food item on the menu, much of this with the very same customers that enjoy the food. McDonald's continuously communicates with customers to understand what it is they want from the company. (March 09)

Email this to a friend

Bookmark with:

What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit StumbleUpon

12. I have read many of your answers and you say often that your food is nutritional and well balanced. So why is it that when eaten McDonalds tastes pretty bad compared to 'proper food', makes you feel bloated and then hungry again very quickly. I know people who eat McDonalds regularly, they are overweight and unhealthy ??
McDonald's sources good quality ingredients from its suppliers, who work to high standards, which results in the tasty food that the company is known for across the globe. In fact, with approximately two million customers visiting McDonald's every day in the UK, you could say that McDonald's must be doing something right. Everybody has different eating habits, appetites and digestion rates, so it's possible that some people may feel bloated after eating McDonald's food, and some may not be quite as full afterwards, but it would be unfair to blame McDonald's as this could be true of other foods in their diet. McDonald's takes great pride in the food that it provides, and there is nothing in it that should make a person feel uncomfortable in any way. With diet and lifestyle an ever-present matter for debate in society, it is a subject that has not gone unnoticed by McDonald's. Customers made it clear that they wanted to know what was in the food they were eating, and wanted to see more on the menu to give them more options. McDonald's addressed these demands by adding new items to the menu such as Toasted Deli Sandwiches, Salads, Fruit Bags, fresh orange Juice and bottled mineral water, along with detailed nutritional information to help customers make better informed decisions about what to eat. If moderation, balance and regular physical activity are integrated into a person's lifestyle, then McDonald’s food can be enjoyed responsibly by anybody. (January 2008)

Email this to a friend

Bookmark with:

What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit StumbleUpon