Are the New Happy Meals Actually Healthier?

The Chicago Tribune featured an article about San Francisco’s passing of legislation to no longer have free happy meal toys (you still can buy happy meal toys for $0.10). The happy meal today consists of a 4-piece chicken nuggets, hamburger or cheeseburger, fries and apple slices, and milk, chocolate milk, or apple juice. “Soda is an option, but parents must request it” (York, 2011). I guess McDonald’s is trying to be “healthier” with this taking soda off of the preset menu options and adding other beverages and apple slices.

            Seeing these menu options made me wonder what the objective of the menu changes is. I was under the impression it was for obesity prevention. However, if we’re trying to keep our kids from overweight and obesity related health problems, why are there additional food items on the menu. Doesn’t eating in excess cause obesity? The happy meal already offers the burger or chicken nuggets and fries. Don’t most kids get full off of just that? Wouldn’t it be healthier to not have preset options at all, but to allow children to pick from any sandwiches, and any sides, and not offer a beverage at all?

            This got me thinking further, is the milk, chocolate milk and apple juice any lower in calories than soda anyways? I decided to investigate using the USDA nutrient database and this is what I found (from highest calories to lowest):

Beverage (8 fl oz)	Calories
Chocolate Milk (2%)	190
Milk (2%)	122
Apple Juice	114
Soda ("Cola")	91
Plain Non-fat Milk (Skim)	83

            Unless the child is getting plain skim milk, the lowest calorie option is soda. Surprising?

            So here comes my bigger issue: Why is our government such a strong advocate for milk and juice as “healthy” beverages. What happened to water? I’ll give you a hint as to what I’m getting at: it’s not because we want our kids to have balanced diets.

References

York, EB. “McDonald’s to Stop Offering Free Happy Meal Toys in San Francisco.” Chicago Tribune. Date accessed 02 Dec 2012. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-mcdonalds-to-stop-offering-free-happy-meal-toys-in-san-francisco-20111130,0,7649763.story

USDA Nutrient Database. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/