Burger King Corp. announced the company’s support for First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, a multifaceted program designed to solve the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation. Over the past three years, Burger King Corp. has been committed to helping children eat and live better by promoting balanced diets and active lifestyle choices as part of its “BK Positive Steps” corporate social responsibility program.
“We support many of the actions that Mrs. Obama has set forth as part of the `Let’s Move’ campaign and agree that it is small steps in the area of health, nutrition, and physical activity that can make a substantial difference in the lives of American families,” says Cindy Syracuse, senior director marketing of Burger King Corp. “The ‘BK Positive Steps’ nutrition program was developed to help our restaurant guests take simple positive actions that meet their own nutrition and lifestyle needs. Burger King Corp. is committed to making ongoing strides in the areas of food and nutrition and we will continue to provide our customers with the choices they need to make smart personal nutrition decisions for themselves and their families.”
A number of Burger King Corp.’s actions over the past few years support the pillars of the “Let’s Move” initiative: helping parents make healthy food choices and accessing healthy affordable food for their families. As part of the “BK Positive Steps” corporate social responsibility program, Burger King Corp. joined the Council for Better Business Bureau’s (CBBB) Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) on September 12, 2007, pledging to restrict 100 percent of national advertising aimed at children under 12 years old and develop BK Kids Meals that meet stringent nutrition criteria.
Burger King Corp.’s nutrition criteria for BK Kids Meals (consisting of an entrée, side dish, and beverage) are based on the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and other federal and scientifically established dietary recommendations as defined as: no more than 560 calories per meal; less than 30 percent of calories from fat; less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat; no added trans fats; no more than 10 percent of calories from added sugars; no more than 600 milligrams of sodium; and a “good source” or “excellent source” of at least two of calcium, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin E.
Burger King Corp. offers four compliant BK Kids Meals in Burger King restaurants nationwide and is the first quick-service restaurant chain to publicly announce limiting sodium to 600 milligrams or less in all BK Kids Meals advertised to children under 12 years old.
To date, Burger King Corp. has also introduced “BK Positive Steps” nutritional materials in Burger King restaurants nationwide, eliminated all trans fat cooking oils and ingredients in the U.S., and partnered with the USDA to promote MyPyramid information to both children and adults. In addition, the company identified more than 350 Burger King meal combinations that provide 650 calories or less—approximately one-third of a daily 2,000 calorie diet—and examples of these meal combinations are featured on tray liners, queue signs, and window decals at participating Burger King restaurants nationwide, as well as available online.
