Prince Charles says to BAN McDonald's!
By cassidy22
@cassidy22 (2974)
United States
February 28, 2007 9:21am CST
I can't believe I agree with this guy on something, but I think fast food is the bane of our society. Check out this article:
LONDON - Prince Charles suggested Tuesday on a visit to the United Arab Emirates that banning McDonald's fast food was crucial for improving people's diets, a British news agency reported.
ADVERTISEMENT
Charles made the comments while visiting the Imperial College London Diabetes Center in Abu Dhabi for the launch of a public health campaign, The Press Association reported.
"Have you got anywhere with McDonald's? Have you tried getting it banned? That's the key," Charles was quoted as asking one of the center's nutritionists.
A McDonald's spokesman, Nick Hindle, called the remark disappointing. He said other members of the royal family "have probably got a more up-to-date picture of us," alluding to reports that Charles' son, Prince Harry, was spotted eating a chicken burger at McDonald's in 2005.
"This appears to be an off-the-cuff remark, in our opinion," Hindle said. "It does not reflect our menu or where we are as a business."
The Oak Brook, Illinois-based McDonald's Corp. took steps last year to display nutrition facts on its packaging and vary its menu to counter charges that its food is unhealthy and contributes to obesity. There are 25 McDonald's franchises in the United Arab Emirates.
Charles, who is first in line to the British throne, is an active advocate of organic food and in 1986 set up a farm on his Highgrove Estate that does not use artificial pesticides or fertilizers.
The prince was in the United Arab Emirates with his wife, Camilla, as part of a tour of Gulf countries.
The United Arab Emirates has the world's second highest number of diabetes cases per capita, with more than 20 percent of those aged 20 to 79 already diagnosed with the illness, while 40 percent of the population are at risk.
5 people like this
23 responses
@Willowlady (10658)
• United States
28 Feb 07
We have known all along that McDonalds and other fast foods are not the wholesome foods that we all need to live. We have treated the trip to Mcdonalds as a treat and we have fussed all along when they have been making things more healthy.
I now collect recipes for my favorite fast foods that may cease to be so that I can recreate them at home. Now and then they are good to enjoy. Tis a shame that people cannot be more responsibile and avoid using fast food as their normal course of food.
Just my thoughts!!
1 person likes this
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
1 Mar 07
What makes me sad is that fast food is NOT nutritious, and people keep tying to defend it like it is... but it's CHEAP and its easy to find, so people fall back on it because it's there and it's cheap. And it makes me sad that people think it is too expensive to eat healthy food.
@neezhom_almaniri (423)
• Malaysia
1 Mar 07
Fast foods is also a donator to a decease in our life. Many kind of deceace cause by fast foods. So we better eat natural foods like fruits, rice, wheat, vegetables and so on in tradisional way. If we want health :-)
@Idlewild (6090)
• United States
28 Feb 07
The article says he was talking to the nutrition head of a diabetes center, so maybe he was asking about getting McD's banned from the health center? Some hospitals have McDonald's in them, which seems like a bad idea.
I can't tell from this article if Charles was talking about banning McD's from an entire country...
1 person likes this
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
1 Mar 07
It's not a well written article, and he doesnt impress me as much f a diplomat, but he's on the right track. McD's might not be to blame, but there is a health crisis regarding obesity - and obesity can lead to diabetes.
@brimia (6581)
• United States
28 Feb 07
I think he's sending a good message. Maybe if we stopped frequenting fast food restaurants (not just McDonalds), they'd be forced to only serve healthy, minimally processed, even organic foods. I hadn't heard that he had an organic farm and was an advocate of organic food.
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
28 Feb 07
I am buying land and starting my own organic farm. I believe in "voting with your dollars" and I don't eat fast food anymore. But I alone can't bring down the fast food giants... if we all took a better interest in our own health and well being, I think we'd all realize fast food is junk and stop eating it.
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
3 Mar 07
I don't think that 'banning' McDonalds (or any other place or type of food) is the answer to our health problems. One can eat McDonalds food occassionally, it is when McDonalds food becomes one's routine diet that a problem arises! We must use moderation in our diet!!
@marief2rnurse (2704)
• United States
1 Mar 07
People should be able to choose what they want to eat. Just because he's a prince doesn't mean he can ban things like McDonald's.
@vinu123 (224)
• India
1 Mar 07
I believe he has gone mad & may be another strategy yo be in the spotlight as usual, nobody can ban mc donalds this way, it is one of the biggest fast food chains across the worls just beacause this guy is concerned about his country's health he can't ban MC donalds in UK.
Just impossible.
@pondlife (467)
•
1 Mar 07
You know what; I used to have some respect for this guy (and I've never liked the royal family) but this takes the biscuit. He's completely up his own butt. He needs to come out of his ivory tower and live the life of a 'commoner' for a few years to get his ideas in perspective.
@sigma77 (5383)
• United States
1 Mar 07
I don't think it is so much the fast food places that are at fault. It is people who choose to eat there regularly and who eat to much fast food overall. Weight control and obesity are not about eating alone, but also about physical activity or the lack of it. I haven't been to Macdonalds in years, but I still eat fast food once in a while.
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
1 Mar 07
As a vegetarian I would never frequent McDonalds or any other greasy burger, fast food outlet, but, having said that, I don't see the point of banning McDonalds. As another poster said earlier, there are plenty more places like it out there, and you cannot ban every single place. I don't agree with the "nanny state" idea at all - people should be educated enough to make their own choices about what is good to eat or not, and if they choose to avoid the education and poison themselves with trash food, then it is their choice.
@urbandekay (18278)
•
1 Mar 07
Excellent, good call Charlie-boy think I'll make it a law http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/787504.aspx?p=4
The Emperor Highly Suspicious
@cayennepepper (266)
• United States
1 Mar 07
I think it is a mistake to allow any government to decide everything for you. People need rules and guidelines, but not so that you loose your ability to decide for yourself anything. If you allow your country to have fast food restaraunts then the people need to decide if they are going to eat there. How many other choices are there anyway? I think fast food places take a bad rap. They are supposed to be some place to get a quick bite to eat now and then not your grocery store replacement.
@lissienpaul (478)
• Philippines
1 Mar 07
I think everyone of us should be aware with the nutrition packs in every food we eat. A lot of health issues come up because of different illnesses. Way back, food contains all the natural goodness of nature but now, a lot of preservatives.
@desimanero (419)
• United States
1 Mar 07
yes fast food is a big issue everywhere around the world.But it tastes good.I think its the people who need to learn self control.Nobody tells these people to get up everyday and pick up a big greasy 7oo calorie burger.When i go to mcdonalds i most of the time get salads.I think mcdonalds has the best salads in the world.Its just self control.You can get a salad with chicken on it....
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
1 Mar 07
I have to actually agree with the prince on this too, sadly, I think McDonald's should be banned from the country.
@lossforredwords (3620)
• Philippines
1 Mar 07
i can see his good objectives but i dont think banning mcdonalds will do all the work of making us a little bit healthy. there are lots of fast foods around the world and not just mcdonalds. it still depends on the people whethere they will choice to eat healthy or not.
@western_valleygirl (1363)
• United States
1 Mar 07
I actually saw him on the news, saying all that, and it occurred to me, that he has actually done something right for a change. You would think, that he would support them, so that they can be chummy with him, but nope, he really made everyone mad, by saying that he wants there to be no more McDonald's. Can't say that I don't agree, because I do. I really believe that it is unhealthy and unsafe for us to keep feeding our society these kinds of things. Here, in America, we have one of the highest obesity, or the highest, obesity rates in the world. Diabetes will quickly follow, along with cholesterol and HBP. We need to do something before it is too late. I knew that the Arab Emirates has unhealthy people, my hubby was talking about it last week too, but, here in Anerica, we cannot judge, for we have our own problems...
@xabimaru (340)
• Malaysia
1 Mar 07
Owh no... not the mcD. Does he's in conscious when he said this?? lol. Well i don't think he's giving the best solution here. Can you possibly think by banning mcD will reduce obesity?? This is just ridicules. There are way more way to become obese not only by taking a lot of junk food. And mcD alone?? It's not fair as there are a lot more fast food in town.
@retardedrugrat (4791)
• Canada
1 Mar 07
I think his heart is in the right place. But banning McDonalds is soooo not the way to go.
They would also have to ban Burger King, Wendy's, A&W, KFC and a whole heap of other fast food places.
The key isn't banning fast food places, it's about educating society about food groups, whats good for us and whats bad for us.
It's one thing to say yeah, eat fruits and vegetables and don't eat things that are cooked in oil and stuff, but there's so much more to it than that.
@sweetsue (758)
• Philippines
1 Mar 07
I guess, it was just an understatement. He didn't pertained to McDonald's alone but to all the existing fast food chains. But of course banning of those is just next to impossible. Wether we like it or not these fast food chains are already part of the system.
Fast food chains shouldn't be held responsible for the health of the people. Staying healthy and choosing to be one is an individual's responsibility.
