Doc Group Attacks McDonalds Nutrition in TV Ad

WASHINGTONThe Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) kicks off a city-by-city TV commercial campaign Sept. 16 in the nations capital with the goal of drawing attention to the citys high rates of heart disease deaths and its high density of fast-food restaurants. The non-profit group also is seeking  a moratorium on the construction of new fast-food restaurants in Washington D.C.

The commercial will air during The Daily Show and local news broadcasts. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the commercial is set in a morgue and shows a dead man laying on a gurney with a half-eaten burger in one hand and a grieving woman at his side. As the camera pans around and stops at the man's feet, the Golden Arches logo appears with the line, I was lovin' it," in an twist on the chain's tagline. A voiceover states, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attacks. Tonight, make it vegetarian."

Our citys addiction to Big Macs and other high-fat fast food is literally breaking our hearts," says Susan Levin, M.S., R.D., PCRMs nutrition education director. Its time to tackle the districts heart disease problem head-on. A moratorium on new fast-food restaurants could be a critically important step toward fighting this epidemic."

McDonalds, the worlds largest fast-food chain, responded to the shock ad saying, This commercial is outrageous, misleading and unfair to all consumers. McDonalds trusts our customers to put such outlandish propaganda in perspective, and to make food and lifestyle choices that are right for them."