LONDON - Prince Charles suggested Tuesday on a visit to the United Arab Emirates that banning McDonald's fast food was crucial for improving people's diets, a British news agency reported.


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Charles made the comments while visiting the Imperial College London Diabetes Center in Abu Dhabi for the launch of a public health campaign, The Press Association reported.

"Have you got anywhere with McDonald's? Have you tried getting it banned? That's the key," Charles was quoted as asking one of the center's nutritionists.

A McDonald's spokesman, Nick Hindle, called the remark disappointing. He said other members of the royal family "have probably got a more up-to-date picture of us," alluding to reports that Charles' son, Prince Harry, was spotted eating a chicken burger at McDonald's in 2005.

"This appears to be an off-the-cuff remark, in our opinion," Hindle said. "It does not reflect our menu or where we are as a business."

The Oak Brook, Illinois-based McDonald's Corp. took steps last year to display nutrition facts on its packaging and vary its menu to counter charges that its food is unhealthy and contributes to obesity. There are 25 McDonald's franchises in the United Arab Emirates.

Charles, who is first in line to the British throne, is an active advocate of organic food and in 1986 set up a farm on his Highgrove Estate that does not use artificial pesticides or fertilizers.

The prince was in the United Arab Emirates with his wife, Camilla, as part of a tour of Gulf countries.

The United Arab Emirates has the world's second highest number of diabetes cases per capita, with more than 20 percent of those aged 20 to 79 already diagnosed with the illness, while 40 percent of the population are at risk.

This began a while ago actually.

This began a while ago actually. There have been a bunch of people and a few groups that have brought suits against McDonalds and other fast food places. They have all failed miserably.

I dont see how they have any hope of ever winning. It's nothing like the cigarette battle at all. People have known for a very, very long time about nutritional requirements and what could be good and bad for you to eat. This isnt some kind of epiphany here. With cigarettes it was different because for a good long time, people didnt really know the effects, and when they started becoming apparent, they tried to hide it.

in a way, the fast-food restaurant business is doing something similar - there are no warnings on their wrappings or in the store.

That does sound silly, I know, but I'd bet that there will be warnings within the next two or three decades.

They have all their foods nutritional information available. There is no need for a warning because you know exactly what you are eating and what nutritional factors apply.



I hope not. I'd rather not have the government waste time and money on something that is really a matter of personal responsibility, and not governmental intervention. Again, this is something that is largely known, and people choose to do it anyway. Just like cigarettes nowadays. People KNOW the dangers, and still decide to do it anyway. You dont need a warning on McDonalds food. The nutritional posting tells you every bit of information you need to know. That in itself is warning enough.

If anything they should be required to always have the nurtitional information on hand because it seems that often they have a sign directing you to a website where the information can be found. I thought they had to have pamphlets, but perhaps this is deemed an acceptable substitute. Pamphlets always seem so much more official.

I hope not. I'd rather not have the government waste time and money on something that is really a matter of personal responsibility, and not governmental intervention.

if we go towards national health care, it will be indeed be a matter of government intervention and rightfully so

Perhaps he just suggested that because it's what the voters in his district want.