Post 4: Eat like an Olympian??

If you watched the 2010 Winter Olympics for more than a couple of minutes over the last couple of weeks, you’d have a hard time missing this McDonald’s commercial advertising their new sweet chili sauce made to use with chicken McNuggets. This sauce, says the commercial is the “very same sauce enjoyed at the Olympic Village.” Now that this product is available, says the commercial, “You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to eat like one.” Wait. What? Are they really suggesting that these world-class, Olympic athletes chow down on Chicken McNuggets to fuel them during their grueling training and fierce competitions?

McDonald’s needs any kind of hint for a healthy lifestyle to be linked with their company. They try to accomplish this in the above commercial by suggesting that McDonald’s food is something an Olympian eats and also by mentioning that the McNuggets are make with 100% white meat.

NPR blogger Monika Evstatieva finds this commercial to be upsetting as well. She points out that a couple of days before the Olympic games began, contestants from the show “The Biggest Loser” visited the Olympic Training Center in Colorado. Not surprisingly, there was no fast food to be found at the center. Is it hypocritical that McDonald’s should sponsor the Olympics? Maybe.

While I agree with Evstatieva, I understand why athletes may participate in these kinds of misleading commercials. Many athletes, especially ones who participate in lesser-known sports, rely on these kinds of endorsements to bring in money to support their training efforts. I appreciate that they have to make money some how, but I wish they were choosier in the messages they may be spreading – especially to young children. In the words of Evstatieva: of you want to eat like an Olympian, eat like one, train like one, and for heaven’s sake, skip McDonald’s!

** video from youtube.com