McDonald's targets sick children with burgers

McDonald's is targeting a hospital children's ward, handing out vouchers for free burgers and fries to sick youngsters.

Staff are being sent in to the hospital with balloons and toys to 'raise the children's spirits', but at the same time they are giving them leaflets advertising the fast food restaurant.

After relatives noticed the practice, which flies in the face of Government advice for children to cut down on fatty foods, they complained to the hospital and asked it to review its policy.

Astonishingly, the hospital's chief executive defended the twice-weekly visits, saying they helped provide 'sufficient calories' needed to aid the children's recovery. The Department of Health has also refused to intervene.

Brenda Boydell was visiting her four-year-old grandson at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital when two McDonald's workers arrived, wearing the company's uniform. She was so angry she wrote to complain to Stephen Day, the hospital's chief executive.

'Any advertising aimed directly at children is abominable and I was furious when I discovered that this blatant exploitation of children is apparently condoned by what is supposed to be a flagship hospital,' the 56-year-old said.

'Junk food is one of the main sources of obesity among children and to have it promoted in a children's ward is dreadful.'

The mother of another child at the 32-bed Buxton ward said: 'Everyone knows kids love McDonald's but what children like is hardly ever good for them. This is a cynical sales pitch that should never have been allowed in a hospital-Mr Day made his comments in a letter to Mrs Boydell. It read: 'I do of course understand the point that you've made about the welldocumented issue of child obesity.

'Equally, our primary concern must be the welfare of the children whilst they are in the hospital when sufficient calories to aid recovery are the primary objective.'

Norwich and Norfolk University Hospital Trust also defended the practice, saying: 'The hospital receives no payment. It is something that McDonald's offered to do. As in many other children's units, its staff come to the ward every week and are supervised by hospital staff. Parents and children are offered toys, balloons and vouchers and it is up to them to accept them or not.'

The Department of Health said it was not planning to stamp out the practice. A spokesman said: 'This is a matter for the trusts.'

It is unclear how many hospitals allow visits by McDonald's and other fast food chains but the practice is believed to be widespread.

McDonald's denied doing anything wrong. But, despite repeated requests, it refused to specify how many such visits it carries out around the country. A spokesman said: 'We don't run a national initiative. Some of our restaurants may do it on their own instigation. They like to forge links with their community.'

Health Secretary John Reid rejected calls for new laws to tackle obesity yesterday.

Dr Reid said he would prefer the food industry to introduce voluntary codes, rather than the Government adopting a ' dictatorial attitude'.

He had been challenged by consumer and health groups to ban junk food advertising on children's TV. There were also demands to ban sugary drinks from vending machines in schools.

The Daily Mail revealed yesterday how a three-year-old Bengali girl in London, who weighed six stone, had died from heart failure induced by 'extreme obesity'. Experts suggest she was one of 1,000 people dying every week from weight-related illnesses.

A Health Select Committee report published yesterday included a scathing attack on the failure of the Government to deal with obesity. MPs criticised the poor quality of school meals and demanded that school sports be given more time.