Although the timing is unexpected, the move is anything but surprising, said American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown, when reached by Skype on Thursday morning. "Considering the amount of high-caloric items offered on McDonald's menus, we have been pushing the fast-food chain for two years now to install the devices in each of their restaurants."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third (34.9% or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese. The Canadian rate is lower, but remains a growing threat. A study by Memorial University in St. John's found that Canadian obesity rates tripled between 1985 and 2011. Furthermore, current projections are that 21% of Canadians will be obese by the year 2019.
When reached for comment, the chair of the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation praised the behemoth fast-food company, while stating that more needs to be done: "For several years, McDonald's has been introducing 'healthier choices' such as salads," said Douglas Clement. "However, the question remains as to if McDonald's would be taking these actions if it wasn't receiving pressure from its financial department and a population that is increasingly becoming health-conscious."
Indeed, McDonald's is featuring a customer-friendly program until Valentine's Day where random guests are given the choice to pay for their meals in other ways rather than the greenback or the loonie. These choices include calling one's mother to tell her "I love you," telling one's child that they are proud of them, or dancing for one's meal. It is the the latter option that has doctor's across the continent worried. "Imagine a 350 pound man entering a McDonald's and ordering a Big Mac meal," said Dr. Blake Young. "A Big Mac meal contains roughly 1,130 calories with a Coca-Cola Classic and 920 calories with a Diet Coke. The meal, including fries, also includes 1,325 mg of sodium, which is almost a full day of the recommended sodium level for good health -- 1,500 mg to 2,300 mg. Now imagine the cashier asking this man to dance for his meal. The health consequences could be more than dire."
Customers in the United States and Canada should expect to see the defibrillators in McDonald's locations within two weeks, A leaflet containing information on the proper use of the device will be offered along with customer receipts. The international roll-out will be complete within 3 months.
From Our Indianapolis Bureau