McDonald’s has often come under fire for its high-fat menu, but the controversy surrounding the mega-franchise’s food has reach new heights with the release of a 39-second ad by the Washington, DC-based group Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).
The new “Consequences” ad doesn’t hold back when it comes to criticizing McDonald’s high-fat menu. Not since the documentary Super Size Me has such someone dared take on McD’s in such a public way. “Consequences” features a middle-aged over-weight man lying dead in a morgue with a burger in his hand.
The ad has generated has almost one million views on YouTube in just a couple days since its release and big media took big interest. “Consequences” received coverage by the Wall Street Journal, The Daily Show, The Guardian, CNN, and the New York Times have all covered the ad’s release.
Not surprisingly, McDonald’s lashed back, saying, “This commercial is outrageous, misleading and unfair to all consumers. McDonald’s trusts our customers to put such outlandish propaganda in perspective, and to make food and lifestyle choices that are right for them.”
Life As A Human wants to know from you, our readers….
Is the “Consequences” ad a noble public service or is it unfair scare tactics? Tell us what you think about the ad.
Please watch the ad in the video below and tell us what you think in the comments section!
href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUxIXQza-dM
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Well, I wrote this last year to get more people into the conversation of eating healthy.
http://lifeasahuman.com/2011/feature/it-all-starts-here/
This ad seems to zero in on the fat content, but the reality is so much worse.
Fat is only part of the equation. Add in the sugar, the filler, the chemical flavor additives and excitotoxins, chemical preservatives, coloring agents, thickening agents… most of which is likely genetically modified or carcinogenic and the fat content is just one of a myriad of reasons to avoid fast food.
I really don’t like speaking in calories, because it doesn’t tell the whole story, but for the sake of those who want to know:
“A woman aged 19 to 30 years needs between 2,000 and 2,400 calories daily. A woman aged 31 to 50 years needs 1,800 to 2,200 calories daily. Women over age 51 need 1,600 to 2,200 calories daily.” (Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/360444-daily-recommended-caloric-intake-for-women/#ixzz238MLomN0)
“… daily caloric allowances for men should in general total about 2,000 to 2,800 calories. According to the American Heart Association, sedentary males should aim to consume about 2,400 calories, moderately active men 2,600 to 2,800 calories, and active men approximately 3,000 calories.” (Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/358434-recommended-caloric-intake-for-a-male/#ixzz238MftUf4)
One Big Mac meal has over 1300 calories alone.
What does that mean in real numbers?
If you jump on a treadmill and go 3.6 mph at a incline setting of ‘1’, every 20 minutes will burn approximately 100 calories. So, to burn off that Big Mac meal, you’d have to spend the equivalent of more than 4 hours on the treadmill.
And for me, knowing that just ONE of these factors is in the food (GMO, chemicals, sugar, fat, high calorie counts) is enough for me to avoid it.
I’m definitely on the side of the video makers. Moreover, I think fast food chains should be forced to only offer healthy foods or be shut down as public health hazards.
Wow! This ranks right up there with the cell phone/car accident ads and the smoking one where the voice you hear turns out to be a broken down little old man (woman?) speaking through a tube in his (her?) throat. We all know McDonalds or any fast food joint for that matter are NOT where we should be eating our meals but as human beings, we seem to need the shock factor to drive the proverbial “coffin nail” home. If that is what it takes to wake us up, then I’m all for it. Sorry McDonalds ,but you’ve gotta take your hard knocks on this one…………….
Fries with that?