Seemed like in every single place we went this summer season in France, Krakow, and Prague we noticed McDonald's quick meals eating places and signage. While in France I learn that McDonald's corporate earnings had been up for the second quarter of 2011 within the US and in Europe by 5%. Not a surprise.

Reminds me of different rates which can be going up. Obese and obesity have doubled globally within the last 30 years to nearly 1.5 billion people. And the place there are larger numbers of quick food restaurants (within the US) individuals are heavier.

Curiosity in promoting good nutrition has lastly reached a tipping level, enough so that McDonald's has jumped on the bandwagon. Is the commitment genuine?

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

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

Embody produce each blissful meal with a ensuing 20% fewer energy in the preferred completely happy meals and promote diet consciousness in all nationwide kids communications by 2012;
Cut back sugars, saturated fats and energy by 2020 and scale back sodium by 15% in nationwide mcdonalds breakfast menu objects by 2015; and
Enhance access to nutrition data for patrons and employees.
Is this alteration for real? I've been mulling this query over for quite a while. I maintain coming back to a Mark Bittman article about McDonald's Fruit and Maple Oatmeal offering printed in a February NYT blog. What Mark discovered about McDonald's oatmeal recipe wasn't pretty.

With 11 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 same number of energy as a McDonald's Egg McMuffin.

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

Tricks to Help You Eat More Sensibly:

Save time and make oatmeal at home.
Rethink how typically you eat at fast meals restaurants. Go less typically for those who eat in one regularly.
Look beyond the surface. What you learn might startle you.
Look on-line or ask for nutrition data that can assist you discover healthier decisions in case you decide to eat at a fast meals restaurant.
What have you ever realized these days about offerings in quick food and chain eating places that shocked you?

Kay Loughrey is a nationally known vitamin knowledgeable and Registered Dietitian. She can 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 Health and Human Companies, Kay contributed to the launch of the Dietary Tips for Americans, 2010 and was also involved in three nationwide initiatives.