Hooked on McDonald's at Age 3

One word:

SCARY!

TIME

The lure of McDonald’s golden arches may take hold at a startlingly early age, according to the latest study on the effects of branding on young children published in the August issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

Researchers at Stanford University found that children as young as three years old responded to the fast food chain’s familiar logo and packaging, saying that they preferred the taste of food coming out of McDonald’s bags to the taste of the same food items emerging from plain paper bags. The scientists asked 63 children between the ages of three and five to participate in more than 104 taste tests with some of McDonald’s most popular items — including a hamburger, French fries and chicken nuggets.

First of all - I really do not like McDonalds. Or the food there. Second of all - I really do not like what they are doing, to enslave the population, as young as 3 years, to become hooked on their "HEALTHY" food. Sadly this is what we have become. Sickening how one hundred years too late the mainstream percieves the obvious dangers of marketing to infant minds. Especially with this kind of JUNK food. To all those 3 year old kids I just have this to say:

MEET YOUR MEAT!

Or become McLard...

Hehehe extremely well said! I have to follow as healthy a lifestyle as my university life can allow because of my rugby and gym training, but on the rare occassion I do have grab some fast food, its never McDonalds. I don't know about the McD's in USA, but here in England the food is disgusting. The chips are soggy and undercooked, and the burgers are like eating rubber.

I'm Luggin' It!

Originally posted by DragonsDomain
I don't know about the McD's in USA, but here in England the food is disgusting. The chips are soggy and undercooked, and the burgers are like eating rubber.

I think McD's all over the world are disgusting once you tasted something else.

As I remember, the food had really no taste - like chewing plastic.

I have just one word:

FALAFEL!

I dont think its the MCD that should be blamed. Blame the stupid parents that take their kids to MC in that age.

I have a three year old, and yes he knows the golden fattness, but is rarely allowed to eat there. The toys in the windows really aren't a help to parents trying to feed their children correctly. There should be some form of advetising restrictions place upon the sellers of (complete crap) fast foods or maybe they could become morally responsible *FAT CHANCE*.

Fortunatly when you ask my boy what he wants to eat he will usually responde with "Rice, chicken wings and broccoli"

Stay away from the Big Ms!

MonKey

Originally posted by ChiKeyMonKey
Fortunatly when you ask my boy what he wants to eat he will usually responde with "Rice, chicken wings and broccoli"

Now that is an example of a very heathy answer.

I hated broccoli when I was little.

So parents, you know what you have to do now...

Go to McDonalds on your lunch breaks every day, buy three cheeseburgers and ask for them in separate bags. Feed the crap burgers to nearby fowl, and stash the bags.

Try to augment your stash by asking for a stack of napkins, ketchup packets, and salt and pepper in another bag.



Now, take the bags, and throw some real food in there for the kids.

The other answer is to turn off the television, but we all know that won't happen, eh?

ChikeyMonkey as a Liverpudlian born and bred who left there 4 years ago your pic brings a warm to my heart

My kids are allowed one maccas a week. Myself i think its disgusting
although whilst in france last year the childrens happy meals are healthier with fruit and yoghurt included in the meal

One thing that makes me want to scream child endangerment and abuse is when a young mother gives her baby, soda in a milk bottler.

Any mother that do that to her baby should be charge with child abuse.

I can not stand fast food, if I want a burger I make it myself.

[edit on 11-8-2007 by marg6043]

[edit on 11-8-2007 by elevatedone]

McDonald's is good road food. The double cheeseburger kind of melts together into a big lump that you can eat while you're driving and it doesn't fall out in your lap. It's also pretty bland, so if you're feeling a little carsick, it soothes your stomach.

As far as nutrition is concerned for children, I don't have any kids, so I don't care. It generally seems like it wouldn't be much worse than the food I grew up on -- sugar cereal in the morning, white bread and fried potatoes for lunch and dinner. But I didn't get fat, because my parents didn't keep me cooped up inside all day for fear that some diddler would diddle me. In the summer, I ran the streets from sunrise until way after sundown. Skinny and wiry and strong in spite of my lousy diet.

To hell with kids. I'm tired of them.

Originally posted by Souljah

I have just one word:

FALAFEL!

Falafel is the @#@#%@#$ best!


I even got my gf to try one which wasn't an easy task, but now she loves it.

Yessss - I love that stuff!!

Ever since I had to turn this Egyptian blokes water off in Shepard's bush market to isolate a leak, we told him it could be up to an hour, he bribed us with Falafel and it was much quicker!

Can't hardly get it in Plymouth tho.

For once Souljah and I agree sort of. McD's and the rest of them are really not all that good. There are times when you simply crave what they serve and nothing else will sufice. A fw times a year I have to have a Big Mac with bacon. But once you peruse the nutritional statement its easy to limit yourselves to just a few indulgences a year.

It also helps to have worked there in my youth (oh the stories I could tell)

As aparent myself I often feel held hostage to the various promotions avalible to my child. Burger King in particular has been on a roll with Sponge Bob, Fantastic 4, Spider man, transformers, Simpsons etc. But once a week is not really going to do long term harm. Esp. if nutritional education is provided and ENFORCED (Those with children will agree its harder to do than it sounds).

For some parents however, its also a $$$ choice. You can feed your family a hot meal they are happy with and save time and money in the process.

Edit to add: As far as the packaging goes, I think it is a result of the all too common TV Babysitting. Watch the same stuff your kids watch. The amount of commercials target to kids is stagering. *raises hand* we are guilty of it in our house. We are trying to limit the amount of TV time to 1 hour a day. its hard however.

[edit on 8/13/07 by FredT]