McDonald's Happy Meals May Become UnHappy Meals In San Francisco

In another significant vote on the health front Tuesday, San Francisco's Board of Supervisors took a big step toward an ordinance against restaurants handing out toys as part of junky kids' meals.

Can you say McDonald's Happy Meal? We thought you could.

In an 8-3 vote, the board passed a preliminary version of a new rule that forbids toy freebies with meals that don't meet minimum nutritional standards.

"This is a challenge to the restaurant industry to think about children's health first and join the wide range of local restaurants that have already made this commitment," Supervisor Eric Mar, who introduced the legislation, said in a statement.

How high is the bar? Not as high as you might think.

Here's the lowdown on what kind of meal would qualify.

Calories: Less than 600

Sodium: Less than 640 milligram.

Fat: Less than 35 percent of calories from fat; Less than 10 percent from saturated fat (with exception for nuts, seeds, eggs or low-fat cheese).

Meals would also have to offer fruit or vegetables.

Mayor Gavin Newsom has said he would veto the ordinance. But if a final vote, expected next week, goes like this one, it would be veto-proof.

McDonald's is unhappy. "We are extremely disappointed with this decision," company spokeswoman Danya Proud said in a statement. "It's not what our customers want, nor is it something they asked for."

The fast-food chain says research shows the proposal is "unrealistic" because kids aren't likely to eat the sorts of meals stipulated by the ordinance.

www.npr.org

Michelle Obama To Speak On Obesity At Camden Yards

Will promote baseball's participation in her anti-obesity campaign

First Lady Michelle Obama is due at Camden Yards this morning to enlist Major League Baseball in her campaign to end childhood obesity within a generation.

Obama will join Orioles players and team majority owner Peter Angelos to announce a joint initiative between the White House and professional baseball that will address what has become her signature issue. The "Let's Move!" campaign promotes healthy eating and increased activity for children.

Orioles players, including Matt Wieters and Adam Jones, and Tampa Bay Rays players, including All-Star Carl Crawford, are expected to join Obama in announcing the new initiative. Sue Selig, the wife of Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, and several MLB and players' union officials are also expected to attend.

After the announcement, the players are scheduled to conduct a baseball clinic for 50 kids from the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities leagues and the Boys & Girls Clubs. Whether or not the First Lady would jump into the action herself was unknown, although in the past, she has hula-hooped and jumped rope to promote kids' health.

She is, however, scheduled to throw at least one ball during her time in Baltimore — later in the evening, she is scheduled to throw out the first pitch before the O's-Rays game.

www.baltimoresun.com