McDonald’s…hospitals…an oxymoron, right? Thousands of diabetics heading to the hospital for care, and in some of those facilities, McDonald’s is being served down the hall? Wow. It drives me crazy to see places like McDonald’s touting “healthy” alternatives like fruit parfait or fruit and maple oatmeal. Did you know that this McDonald’s product contains more sugar than a Snickers bar and only 10 fewer calories than a McDonald’s cheeseburger or Egg McMuffin?? Healthy? Please.
So how can it be that a place notorious for being “unhealthy” can park itself in hospitals? I’m really not sure. The group Corporate Accountability International (CAI), a consumer advocacy group, recently sent a formal letter to 21 U.S. hospitals that still serve McDonald’s to guests and visitors, urging them to “stop fostering a food environment that promotes harm, not health.” Want to see that letter? You can view it HERE.
Of course, McDonald’s isn’t the only culprit. I think pretty much any place you can pull up to in your car and get your food in under 5 minutes is a place to be avoided. It just blows my mind that in places across the country, where people go to get healthy (in theory), they are being marketed foods that will bring them right back to where they were. Coincidence? I think not. Think it’s in the hospitals’ best interest to keep people sick? Of course. Now, I don’t believe all hospitals are bad or that there is necessarily some big conspiracy by all hospitals to keep people sick so they have to keep coming back…but doesn’t it seem like a conflict of interest? Hospitals should be serving a fresh farmer’s market array of fruits and veggies every day if you ask me.
Chris says
Truman Medical Center in downtown Kansas City MO has a McD right inside the doors. A huge % of the hospital”s patients earn below minimum wage. Eating an even moderately healthy meal in the hospital cafeteria is not an option at $5 to $8 a meal. This doesn’t excuse having the McD there but it does say something about making food affordable to everyone.
radlandon says
Agreed. I believe the government should quit subsidizing junk and start subsidizing organic fruits, veggies and grassfed meat!
Kimberlie says
I spent a month in or at the hospital when my son was born between my preterm labor and his NICU time. The hospital cafeteria was open for an average of 4.5 hours per day. The McDonalds located directly beside it inside the hospital (they shared a common eating table area) was open 24×7.
radlandon says
Wow, Kimberlie! Sad.
Kimberlie says
I’m not promoting eating at the McDonalds. My comment was simply to point out the disparity in options available inside the hospital where I stayed.