McDonald’s has scrapped its controversial program of sending a former teacher into schools to talk about how he lost weight through exercise and a diet that included a six-month stretch of eating only the chain’s food.
The year-old program had drawn fire from parents and health advocates, who blasted the appearances of John Cisna as a marketing spiel disguised as health education.
The chain had also distributed a 20-minute video of Cisna talking about the importance of exercise and diet to health. According to a story in the Washington Post, the clip is no longer being supplied.
Some had likened Cisna to Jared Fogle, the Subway customer who lost more than 200 pounds in part by eating the chain’s six-inch turkey sub every day. Cisna claims to have lost 60 pounds while eating McDonald’s food for six straight months.
McDonald’s confirmed to the Post that the in-classroom program featuring Cisna had been discontinued, without stating a reason. It defended the effort, saying it championed choice and exercise rather than the consumption of burgers and fries.
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