Healthier fast food for kids?

Since our report Wednesday morning that a group of 19 restaurants -- Burger King being the biggest among them -- had pledged to offer healthier kids' meals, the response has ranged from highly supportive to highly skeptical.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has weighed in to say that the campaign is little more than a public relations stunt because restaurants will only have to offer one healthy meal and one healthy side dish in order to participate.

But a mom wrote to thank the restaurants, saying that her child suffers from Type 1 Diabetes, and would benefit from kids' meals with fruit, vegetables and lean meats, as the program requires. Another reader wrote to say that she has struggled with obesity all her life, and says finances play a big part because fast food is so cheap.

"I think that the number one problem that is causing childhood obesity is that it costs so much more to eat healthy," she wrote. "It is cheaper to buy a huge bag of frozen French fries to feed your family than it is to buy them each a nice apple. Us lower and middle class people are stuck between a rock and a hard spot."

Missing from the group of restaurants promising to do more: McDonald's. A spokeswoman said that the company already offers healthful options for adults and children. 

So...P.R. stunt, or important first step? What do you think?

Sharon Bernstein

www.twitter.com/sharonbernstein

Related:

Restaurants to offer more healthful fare for kids

Jack in the Box stops including toys in kids' meals 

Calorie counts on menus lead consumers to think twice

Photo credit: Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times

 

Consumer Confidential: Vacations in peril, Verizon data caps, obesity crisis solved

Here's your caught-in-a-trap Tuesday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

--Summertime, and the livin' is easy. Or not. A new survey finds that 45% of company workers and self-employed folk intend to cancel or reduce their vacation plans if the economy doesn't improve. According to the survey by Harris Interactive, younger workers are more skittish about their vacations, with 52% of adults age 18 to 34 saying they'd scotch their vacation plans if the economy worsens. That compares with 44% of people age 35 to 44, and 42% of workers age 45 to 54. Just over one-third of people age 55 or more would change or cancel their trip. One other tidbit: People in the West and South are more apt to change or cancel plans given the economy. Considering California's sky-high unemployment rate, that's not so surprising.

 --If you're a Verizon wireless customer, get ready for some new rate plans with monthly usage caps. Verizon hasn't said what its plans will look like. But because AT&T introduced capped data plans a year ago and T-Mobile USA eliminated its unlimited data plan in May, this is well-trod ground. The new Verizon plans will most likely apply only to new customers or people trading up to smart phones. They could also apply to smart-phone users buying new phones. The tricky thing about capped data plans is that few people have a clue how much data they really use, so they don't know much to sign up for. Verizon now charges $30 a month for an unlimited smart-phone data plan. If figuring out your usage is too much of a hassle, Sprint Nextel still offers unlimited data for $30 monthly.

--From the Sounds About Right file: A new study by researchers at the University of North Carolina finds that a key reason for the obesity epidemic may be that we're eating a lot more. "First, the food industry started 'super sizing' our portions, then snacking occasions increased and we were convinced we needed to drink constantly to be hydrated," said Barry Popkin, the study's senior author. Despite the "duh" factor here, the study is apparently the first to examine the combined contribution of changes in three key factors: portion sizes, food energy density and eating frequency. It found that the average daily total energy intake, measured in calories, increased from about 1,803 in 1977–78 to 2,374 in 2003–06, an increase of 570. Increases in the number of eating occasions and portion sizes of foods and beverages over the last 30 years accounted for most of the increase. The solution? Eat less. You heard it here first.

-- David Lazarus

Photo: There may be less of this sort of thing if the economy worsens. Credit: Amanda Jones

 

Don't market junk food to kids, doctors say

The American Academy of Pediatrics has come out in favor of a ban on advertising junk food to children.

In a statement Monday, the organization said ads for junk food are pervasive on children's television and online. Children already are sedentary from watching so much TV and using computers or gaming systems, the organization said. Adding commercials into the mix makes everything worse, because then the kids want to snack on junk food even as they sit and stare at screens. The July issue of the organization's magazine, Pediatrics, also also included a study on the effect of food advertising on children.

“We’ve created a perfect storm for childhood obesity -- media, advertising, and inactivity,” said the statement’s lead author, Dr. Victor Strasburger, a member of the AAP Council on Communications and Media. “American society couldn’t do a worse job at the moment of keeping children fit and healthy -- too much TV, too many food ads, not enough exercise and not enough sleep.”

The move by the nation's pediatricians comes on the heels of a nationwide campaign by nutrition activists to stop fast food companies from marketing to children.

In recent months, two California counties have enacted so-called Happy Meal bans, barring restaurants from handing out toys with children's meals that have high levels of calories, fat and sodium. Restaurant industry lobbyists have worked hard to keep other communities taking similar action.

Activists have also asked McDonald's to quit using its clown mascot, Ronald McDonald, to market to kids. The fast food giant has said that its meals include healthy options for children, including low-fat milk and apple slices with caramel dipping sauce.

RELATED:

Happy meal toys could be banned in Santa Clara County

San Francisco bans Happy Meals

Fast food industry is quietly defeating Happy Meal bans

Jack in the Box stops including toys with kids' meals

-- Sharon Bernstein

Photo credit: McDonald's

First look at new Carl's Jr. sandwich and commercial [UPDATED]

CKE Restaurants, the Carpinteria company that owns the Carl's Jr. and Hardees chains, is taking two big steps this week in its efforts to bring new customers into the fold.

First is a new sandwich, based around a thick, pretty juicy (I tasted it) boneless chicken breast that is hand-breaded and fried in the store. It's on a seeded bun with tomato, lettuce and mayonaise. It packs 650 calories and is available now at both chains.

The sandwich is indicative of the company's recent moves to add items that customers perceive as fresh and healthy to its menu. The last addition of that sort consisted of three different types of turkey burgers, which are selling suprisingly well.

Which brings us to the next and perhaps more interesting part -- the commercial, which you can see here for the first time anywhere.

This commercial was made by the company's new advertising agency, David & Goliath of El Segundo, and there is not a single scantily clad woman in it.

Instead, the ad features a world-weary yet cute robot who comes home from work eager to try his chicken sandwich. But because he's a robot, he has no mouth and he can't eat it. The tagline aims to highlight the handmade nature of the sandwich: "Machines can't eat it, so machines shouldn't make it."

Word is that the new ad agency said that near-naked ladies were all well and good in their place, but they ought to have something to do with the actual product if they're going to be included in an ad campaign.

I've posted the 30 second version immediately below and will add the 60-second version when the company uploads it, probably about 2 p.m. PDT. The longer one shows the robot losing his cool and blasting his apartment with the laser. Curious as to what you think. And here's a question: Should the company move away from lightly clad Kardashians in their upcoming ads? Why or why not?

[UPDATE: Video for the 60 second version of the commercial added below.]

RELATED:

Restaurants revamping menus in response to calorie count rules

Jack in the Box stops including toys in kids' meals

Will Five Guys overtake In-N-Out?

-- Sharon Bernstein

Video: Directed by Rocky Morton, the spot was created by El Segundo creative agency David & Goliath. Courtesy of CKE Restaurants.

Jack in the Box stops including toys in kids' meals [UPDATED]

In a move that has drawn praise from nutrition advocates, Jack in the Box has stopped offering toys with meals aimed at children, a leading restaurant industry publication said this week.

Nation's Restaurant News reports that the nation's fifth-largest hamburger chain has posted signs in its restaurants letting parents know that trinkets will no longer be included in kids' meals. 

In a news release, Jack in the Box also said it has added a new food choice for kids: apple bits with caramel that clock in at 70 calories per serving -- fewer than the apple dippers served at McDonald's.

Tracy Dunn, director of marketing and promotions for the chain, said the apple side dish was just one healthful option for kids on its menu.

“Jack in the Box offers a lot of variety with our Kid's Combos, from grilled or crispy chicken strips, a grilled cheese sandwich and hamburger to low-fat milk, juice and fountain beverages,” Dunn said.

Nutrition advocates nationwide are pressuring fast food companies to stop giving out toys to children, saying the practice makes it too tempting for kids to want to eat fast food and contributes to the epidemic of childhood obesity.

California's San Francisco and Santa Clara counties have enacted so-called Happy Meal bans, which prohibit restaurants from offering toys to children with meals that are high in calories, sugar, salt and fat. 

Nick Guroff, spokesman for Corporate Accountability International, which supports the toy bans and has repeatedly urged McDonald's to stop marketing to children, said his organization was pleased that Jack in the Box has stopped providing toys.

"It's certainly a sign McDonald's competitors see a market opportunity in differentiating from the industry leader and that campaigning by health advocates is changing the marketing landscape for the industry at large," Guroff said.

Jack in the Box did not return a call seeking comment for this story.

[UPDATE: Jack in the Box confirmed the story, saying that the company pulled the toys when they added the apple bits to their menu. The point, said spokesman Brian Luscomb, is to offer kids meals as a convenience to parents, but the chain does not market to children.

"Rather than promote a toy we've focused on the quality of products in our Kid's Meals, like a grilled cheese sandwich on sourdough, grilled or crispy chicken strips, or a hamburger," Luscomb said. "We believe that providing these kinds of options is more appealing to a parent than packaging a toy with lower-quality fare."] 

RELATED:

Fast food industry is quietly defeating Happy Meal bans

Supporters of Happy Meal ban predict movement will spread

It's a sad day for Happy Meals in Santa Clara County 

Jack in the Box isn't springing back from downturn

-- Sharon Bernstein

Photo: Jack in the Box has added apple bits with caramel to its menu. Credit: Jack in the Box

 

Consumer Confidential: Pricier foods, Blockbuster sale, renaming corn syrup

Here's your forget-me-not Friday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

--As if times weren't tough enough, the price of Oreos might be going up. Kraft Foods says the price of many of its products will rise because of higher costs for ingredients. According to the Associated Press, the company says earlier price hikes are not going to be enough to sustain its profitability, and additional price increases will come this year. All food companies have been feeling the pinch from higher costs for wheat, corn, sugar and other commodities. Kraft already raised prices on most of its products in Europe and more than half in North America. Similar increases have been announced by Kellogg, Sara Lee and J.M. Smucker Co.

--Interested in a slightly used video-rental chain? Blockbuster appears to be on the verge of putting itself up for sale. According to the Wall Street Journal, the company could be sold off after creditors disagreed on plans to give it more cash to help exit bankruptcy protection. It's unclear how Blockbuster plans to compete against the likes of Netflix in a world of digital downloads. The company now plans to seek buyers instead of reorganizing in bankruptcy court and could ask a judge to approve bidding procedures as soon as next week. The price tag could be as much as $300 million, plus assumption of various liabilities, including certain store leases.

--A bad-for-you sweetener by any other name would be just as bad for you. At least that's what some consumer groups say in response to plans by the food industry to rename high-fructose corn syrup as "corn sugar." The National Consumers League says this is merely a ploy by food makers to circumvent efforts to educate the public about the potential dangers of high-fructose corn syrup, which has been linked to the obesity epidemic that's dangerously fattening Americans. "Regardless of where you stand on the debate over high-fructose corn syrup and its effects on our waistlines and our health, changing the name after decades of use is unfair to consumers," says Sally Greenberg, the organization's executive director.

-- David Lazarus

 

Your weekly ScamWatch

A roundup of alleged cons, frauds and schemes to watch out for.

Counterfeit drugs – Consumers should be cautious when purchasing prescription drugs on the Internet or from an unfamiliar pharmacy, according to a report by the National Consumer League's Fraud Center. The group offers several suggestions to avoid counterfeit medication: Watch out for altered or unsealed containers; check out the pharmacies with the National Assn. of Boards of Pharmacy; contact a pharmacist or doctor if the medicine you receive appears or tastes different or has unexpected side effects.

Apple products targeted – Apple Inc.'s Mac OS platform has historically avoided malicious attacks, but Internet security firm McAfee Inc. warned that Mac-targeted malware will become more sophisticated this year, increasing the risk of data and identity exposure. In a recent news release, McAfee also cautioned that the use of shortened URLs on social media sites such as Twitter makes it easier for cyber criminals to direct users to malicious websites.

Child obesity scam alleged – An Irvine man has been accused of defrauding investors out of $2.4 million through a company that he said would develop a product to fight child obesity. Charles “Chuck” Davis, 53, was arrested Dec. 27 on suspicion of using investor money to make payments to himself, family members and girlfriends and to buy clothing and jewelry instead of using it to develop and promote the child-obesity treatment, the U.S. attorney's office said. He ran the operation through a company called LifeRight Holdings Inc. and said he would use infomercials to promote the product, federal prosecutors said. Davis pleaded not guilty and was released on a $160,000 bond while awaiting trial.

Union president convicted – The former president of a Northern California chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees has pleaded guilty to mail fraud related to embezzlement of membership dues, federal prosecutors said. Duane DeJoie, who was president of Local 1223 from 2001 to 2007, was accused of having dues checks sent to his personal mailbox even after his term ended and of converting such checks for his own use. He is scheduled to be sentenced April 26.

RELATED:

Dec. 26: Investment fraud, property loans, death and taxes

Dec. 19: Online shopping, stealing from kids, sweepstakes fees

Dec. 12: Telemarketing, charities, price fixing

-- Stuart Pfeifer

Michael Hiltzik: A death and 1-800-GET-THIN

As I have written in the past, there can be few goods or services being hawked as aggressively to Southern Californians as lap-band surgery, that supposed weight-reduction remedy marketed by the 1-800-GET-THIN billboards, bus placards, and radio and TV ads.

My Sunday column reports on several cases in which patients may have experienced outcomes they didn't bargain for. The column reports on two deaths and an allegedly life-threatening injury (plus some very interesting insurance bills).

Those who have been behind this marketing campaign are Julian and Michael Omidi. Their service goes by the name TopSurgeons. The documents relating to the revocation of Julian Omidi's medical license are here. The California Medical Board's decision involving Michael Omidi is here. The documents relating to the medical board's accusations against Dr. George Tashjian, who treated the late Willie Brooks Jr. and Jodi Lynn Smith, are here and here.

The Brooks family's lawsuit against TopSurgeons, Tashjian, et. al., is here. Jodi Lynn Smith's lawsuit against Tashjian, TopSurgeons, et. al., TopSurgeons is here. The medical clinic's lawsuit against Smith, including the insurance bills totaling $140,000 for an operation she was told would cost $15,000, is here.

The letter from Dr. Jonathan Fielding, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, asking for a federal investigation of the 1-800-GET-THIN campaign, is here.

The column begins below.

The tragedy of Ana Renteria’s life was in the way it ended: her body ravaged by infection 10 days after she had the Lap-Band weight-loss operation advertised on those billboards and radio spots bearing the phone number 1-800-GET-THIN.

Renteria, who had long struggled with her 240-pound frame, had been in almost constant pain ever since the operation, says her sister, Noemi Luna.

“I remember her telling me, it’s not getting any better,” Luna recalled. When Renteria called the clinic where she had the operation to complain, Luna said, she was told the discomfort was natural. “They said that’s how it’s going to feel.”

Five days after the Lap-Band operation, the 33-year-old office worker awoke gasping for breath, according to Luna and the Los Angeles coroner’s report on Renteria’s death. 

Read the whole column.

-- Michael Hiltzik

Advocacy group files Happy Meals lawsuit against McDonald's

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has filed a lawsuit against McDonald's Corp., claiming that the company's Happy Meals unfairly entice children into eating food that can do them harm.

The Washington advocacy group warned McDonald's in June that it would sue if the company did not stop providing toys with children's meals that have high amounts of sugar, calories, fat and salt. The suit, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, seeks class-action status.

"McDonald’s offerings consist mostly of fatty meat, fatty cheese, French fries, white flour, and sugar -- a narrow combination of foods that promotes weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease -- and may lead to a lifetime of poor diets,” Michael Jacobson, the group's executive director, said in a news release.

The lead plaintiff in the suit is Monet Parham, a mother of two from Sacramento who said the company "uses toys as bait to induce her kids to clamor to go to McDonald's," the organization said.

McDonald's spokeswoman Bridget Coffing said Happy Meals offered quality foods in smaller portions that are appropriate for children. As the debate over Happy Meals and childhood obesity has raged, McDonald's in recent months has consistently pointed out that parents can choose apple slices instead of French fries for their children, and order milk instead of soda.

"We are proud of our Happy Meals and intend to vigorously defend our brand, our reputation and our food," Coffing said Wednesday.

"We listen to our customers, and parents consistently tell us they approve of our Happy Meals," Coffing said.  "We are confident that parents understand and appreciate that Happy Meals are a fun treat, with quality, right-sized food choices for their children that can fit into a balanced diet."

-- Sharon Bernstein

On Twitter @sharonbernstein

Photo:Henry Tonts, 3, eats Friench fries from his Happy Meal at a McDonald's restaurant in San Francisco before toys were banned from the meals last month. Credit: Eric Risberg / Associated Press

Families taking kids back to restaurants

Families with children are starting to inch back to the nation's restaurants, according to new data from the research firm NPD Group.

Visits to restaurants by parties that included kids rose 1% during the three months that ended August 31. That's not much, but it's better than the declines of the last couple of years. The news comes on the heels of information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showing that restaurants have been hiring at a greater rate than the economy overall -- which most economists said was because sales at eateries had begun to improve.

Although the increase in visits reflect just one quarter, "the return of parties with kids is another sign that business is beginning to pick up for the restaurant industry," Bonnie Riggs, NPD's restaurant industry analyst, said in a news release. "Parties with kids are integral to the industry and make a significant contribution in both volume and sales."

  

In 2009, people with kids in tow spent $70 billion on meals and snacks, the company said.

-- Sharon Bernstein

Follow me on Twitter @sharonbernstein

 

 

Happy Meal ban closer to reality in San Francisco

It won't go into effect until next year, but San Francisco's ban on handing out toys with children's meals that have more than 600 calories or too much fat, salt and sugar gained final passage Tuesday.

San Francisco supervisors (they're called supervisors because San Francisco is both a city and a county, and in California, counties are overseen by supervisors) voted 8 to 3 in favor of the measure. It now goes to Mayor Gavin Newsom, who has promised to veto it. But the board has enough votes to override his veto.

The measure has been widely ridiculed in some circles, with opponents saying it's up to parents to choose what their children eat -- not politicians. But public health advocates welcomed the action, calling it a small step toward combatting escalating levels of childhood obesity. 

“It’s time for fast-food companies to stop exploiting children in order to sell more junk food, and this measure would at least set basic nutrition standards for meals sold with toys," said Michael Jacobson, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington. "Fatty meat, French fries, white flour, and sugary drinks are the last foods we should encourage kids to eat.” 

Supervisor Eric Mar, who introduced the measure, said supporters were part of a growing movement to help children fight obesity and nutrition-related diseases. "From San Francisco to New York City,
the epidemic of childhood obesity in this country is making our kids sick,
particularly kids from low-income neighborhoods, at an alarming rate," Mar said. "It's
a survival issue and a day-to-day issue."

-- Sharon Bernstein

On Twitter @sharonbernstein

Photo: A McDonald's Happy Meal. Credit: Karen Bleier / AFP / Getty Images