Appeared like everywhere we went this summer in France, Krakow, and Prague we noticed McDonald's quick meals restaurants and signage. While in France I learn that McDonald's company earnings were up for the second quarter of 2011 within the US and in Europe by 5%. Not a surprise.

Jogs my memory of different charges which are going up. Chubby and obesity have doubled globally within the final 30 years to nearly 1.5 billion people. And where there are larger numbers of quick meals restaurants (in the US) people are heavier.

Curiosity in selling good vitamin has lastly reached a tipping point, sufficient so that McDonald's has jumped on the bandwagon. Is the dedication real?

In July, I received an email from Right now's Dietitian addressed to vitamin professionals and dietitians. The e-mail message was from McDonald's and described its "commitments" to "improved nutrition choices."

What improvements has McDonald's planned? They've promised to:

Embody produce every completely happy meal with a ensuing 20% fewer calories in the preferred pleased meals and promote nutrition consciousness in all nationwide kids communications by 2012;
Reduce sugars, saturated fat and energy by 2020 and scale back sodium by 15% in nationwide menu items by 2015; and
Enhance access to vitamin info for customers and employees.
Is this change for real? I've been mulling this question over for quite a while. I maintain coming back to a Mark Bittman article about McDonald's Fruit and Maple Oatmeal providing published in a February NYT blog. What Mark discovered about McDonald's oatmeal recipe wasn't pretty.

With eleven elements, this recipe is oatmeal turned into industrial food. Bittman found that the McDonald's oatmeal incorporates more sugar than a Snickers bar and about the identical number of calories as a McDonald's Egg McMuffin.

Quick Fact: "The strongest association between fast food consumption and obesity is when one or more quick food meals are consumed per week." (Dietary Pointers for Americans, 2010).

Tips to Assist You Eat More Sensibly:

Save time and make oatmeal at home.
Rethink how often you eat at fast meals restaurants. Go much less usually should you eat in one regularly.
Look beyond the surface. What you be taught might startle you.
Look on-line or ask for nutrition information that can assist you discover more healthy decisions for those who determine to eat at a fast meals restaurant.
What have you realized recently about choices in fast food and chain mcdonalds restaurants that shocked you?

Kay Loughrey is a nationally recognized vitamin knowledgeable and Registered Dietitian. She can also be the creator of Slim Down and Win, a new model program for everlasting weight management.

As a health communicator for the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Services, Kay contributed to the launch of the Dietary Tips for Americans, 2010 and was also involved in three nationwide initiatives.