News

Strange bedfellows: McDonald's, KFC contributing to U.K. health policies

November 14, 2010

In an announcement that has to surprise many, the United Kingdom's Department of Health has invited McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken to help write government policy on obesity, alcohol and diet-related disease.

According to the Daily Mail, U.K. Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has also asked food and drink companies PepsiCo, Kellogg's, Mars and Diageo to participate.

Dubbed the "Responsibility Deal" by the department, each of the five networks will be co-chaired by minsters to come up with policies regarding the country's public health policy. The networks include food responsibility, change behaviour, alcohol, calories and physical activity.

Working with the networks are consumer and public health groups such as Cancer Research UK.

Each network is co-chaired by ministers to finalize policies and suggestions on how to curb obesity, alcohol abuse and other diet-related issues. Results are expected in the next few weeks.

The effort has been outwardly criticized by many as an "impossible alliance" between big business and public health, some who have compared the idea to putting the tobacco industry in charge of smoke-free spaces.