McDonald's Olympic Sponsorship Upsets Doctors

The people most unhappy with McDonald's sponsorship of the 2012 London Olympics? Doctors. A group of U.K. doctors has spoken out against the fast-food giant for sponsoring the world's largest display of athleticism.

Said Terence Stephenson, a spokesman for the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges to the Associated Press, "It's very sad that an event that celebrates the very best of athletic achievements should be sponsored by companies contributing to the obesity problem and unhealthy habits."

Doctors want the British government to restrict sponsors — including McDonald's, Coca-Cola, and Heineken — from advertising during the Olympic Games. (Cadbury is another sponsor of the Olympic Games). In light of Britain's increasing obesity rates (about one-fourth of Britons are obese, and the rates are expected to climb to nearly half by 2030), some worry the McDonald's sponsorship will increase fast-food consumption. To counter the bad-mouthing, McDonald's has launched a children's health campaign for the Olympics as well.

But it certainly won't help that McDonald's is planning on opening the world's largest McDonald's just in time for the games. The Huffington Post shows that the planned store will be about the size of half a football field, and will serve about 1,500 people at a time. Total fast food: 50,000 Big Macs and 180,000 french fries.