Ronald McDonald is working on his glutes.
Under pressure to thwart criticism about the fast-food industry’s role in childhood obesity, McDonald’s today will unveil a play gym for kids at a restaurant in Santa Ana featuring stationary bikes, monkey bars, climbing ropes and a mini basketball court. Replacing the less-active PlayPlace, the R-Gym is the fourth to debut in the country and the first one in Orange County.
The burger giant said it will open 20 R-Gyms, named after mascot Ronald McDonald, in the next year as it continues to maintainthat its restaurants support healthy lifestyles.
Fitness experts applauded McDonald’s for encouraging kids to exercise. But they also said the R-Gym is not worth visiting daily if it means enticing children to chow down on artery-clogging burgers and fries.
“It is not recommended to ride a stationary bike while eating a Big Mac,” said Debi Pillarella, a spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise.
Janet Little, a nutritionist for Henry’s Marketplace and Wild Oats supermarkets, said she hopes parents don’t use the R-Gym “to rationalize going to McDonald’s every day.”
“Because, truly, the calories you burn there won’t come near the amount needed to burn off what they consume,” Little said.
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