Epidemic of Obese Children? No Problem: Just Put a McDonald's IN the Hospital!

[Hoosier Daddy]

From today's Salon:

When Dr. Kerri Boutelle of Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego decided to do a research study on what children and their families order at fast-food restaurants, she didn't have to go very far. Rady Children's has a McDonald's right in the hospital.

McDonald's recently drew criticism from child nutrition advocates for resurrecting the iconic Ronald McDonald character, but Boutelle's research reminds pediatricians that Ronald never really left. Twenty-seven children's hospitals across the U.S. have a McDonald's on site, and there are many more at centers worldwide.

At a time when more than one-third of American children are obese and type II diabetes is rampant, it's hard to imagine why children's hospitals -- especially some of the very best -- would put a McDonald's front and center. But there's a McDonald's at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, which U.S. News recently ranked alongside Children's Hospital Boston (itself the site of the first McDonald's at a children's hospital over 30 years ago) as the No. 1 kids' center in the country. In an online review of the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles (ranked eighth by U.S. News), one parent observed that "McDonald's is the only 24-hour food source. (Odd, since their food puts people in the hospital.)" When "Super Size Me" director Morgan Spurlock learned about the McDonald's at the highly regarded Texas Children's Center (ranked fourth by U.S. News), he called it "utterly irresponsible" and "a flagrant violation of the doctor's pledge of "Primum non nocere" (First, do no harm.)

Common sense makes it hard to argue with Spurlock, even though some equate those who share his view to "food police" preaching political correctness over personal choice. Yet to me, morality isn't the issue. The question is why do children's hospitals peddle McDonald's and other fast food, even when they know they'll get a black eye for doing it?

http://www.salon.com/life/poprx/index.html?story=/mwt/feature/2011/09/19/poprx_mcdonalds

You want extra fries to go with that heart bypass, Timmy?

[AndyTiedye]

1. Compared to Hospital Cafeteria Food

I think Mickey D's may be more nutritious than a lot of hospital cafeteria food. It certainly tastes better.

[RandySF]

2. You've never visited Kaiser in SF.

They have the best Vietnamese noodle soup!!

[woodsprite]

3. Than our local hospital must be unique, because

people actually choose to go there for lunch. I love their stuffed portabella mushrooms :) I do have to say though that this is the cafeteria the drs. eat at, not what's served in the hospital rooms to patients.

[Mosby]

4. another beat up on mcdonalds thread, yay!

The stupid author actually thinks fast food "puts people
in the hospital", is this what passes for quality writing
these days?

People actually get paid for garbage like this?

Pathetic. 

[HockeyMom]

5. Visiting my husband in the hospital on the weekend

The main cafeteria was closed and only the snack shop was open. I got soup and whole wheat bread. The soup was a tomato based and had everything it in from lima beans to potoates. It was very good. I sat there with my soup while other vistors AND staff, were bringing in their Big Macs from a restaurant just outside the hospital grounds.

The soup was obviously homemade and very tastely. I did notice I got a lot of stares from the other people (very FAT) with my soup and bread. Ummmn. You don't have to eat SALADS to not gain weight. This was a HOSPITAL. Hello?????? BTW, I am 100 lbs.

[dtexdem]

6. Couldn't they just put the grease right into the IV line?

Why make the children go to the effort of actually eating it?

;-)

[COLGATE4]

7. Probably because the McDonalds (or whatever fast food chain

we're talking about) is there for the STAFF, not the visitors' children. Hospital cafeterias have strange, usually short hours and staff often have to eat when they can. Don't conflate the problem of obese children with a jihad against adult hospital personnel having a place where they can get something to eat at odd hours.

[eggplant]

8. I'm certain the hospital gift shop has no shortage of sugared soda, candy, and greasy chips.

So please, spare me the bullshit about McDs being the scourge of the hospital.

[ChandlerJr]

9. Oh that's just silly

When my 1st wife was in the hospital birthing our 5 kids I got sent out to the McDonalds down the street to get her some real food. Of course I complied, who am I to argue with a woman who has just gone through labor.

Maybe that's also why 43 years later she's still my 1st wife too.

[noel711]

10. Over generalization overlooks subtlties..

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
one of the more prominant of medical centers for pediatric
healthcare has a McD's in their lobby.

NOT because they lack regular food service,
but... CHOP is foremost in the care of pediatric cancers.
Most patients undergoing chemo lose their appetites.
Doctors urge families to offer anything the patients will
eat to keep up their strength, yes, even junk food offers
calories for energy.

Thus, offering shakes and burgers to little ones can be
a way to keep them...'happy' is the word some might use.
And parents don't have to argue with the kids about eating.

CHOP also offers many services that are family friendly,
as families stricken with severe illness have special needs.

I don't condone using fast food instead of full, nutritious
food services, but in special cases, I do understand.

[PoliticAverse]

11. "First, ensure your future suply of patients"... n/t