BHF calls on food firms to do more in obesity fight

by Nicola Clark, Marketing 16-Nov-05

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has urged the food industry to do more than run ad campaigns to prove it is taking an active role in the obesity debate.

The comments came from the charity's director of policy and
communications, Betty McBride, as McDonald's ran a national press ad in
response to a BHF campaign which highlighted the 'unhealthiness' of

burgers and nuggets.

The McDonald's ad featured quotes from the BHF campaign alongside
nutritional information about key McDonald's menu items.

Alongside a quote from the BHF advertisement, reading 'Not all nuggets
are good nuggets', ran the headline 'We agree' and the line 'The only
meat in our Chicken McNuggets is tender white chicken breast'.

McBride said McDonald's decision to run the press ad showed 'that the
food industry is listening', but she added that 'this needs to be about
more than ads from charities or the food industry'.

A McDonald's spokeswoman said the fast-food giant was supportive of any
campaign to encourage healthy eating. She added: 'We are keen to
highlight the difference in our products.'

BHF's 'Food4Thought' campaign, which launched earlier this month, aims
to get children to think about what is in their food.