Olympics facing ‘fast food’ heat!

That a fast food chain and a soft drink major are sponsoring the biggest fitness event in the world is drawing ire everywhere. Advertising gimmickry? Folks react… Ismat Tahseen  There's a storm in the proverbial cup, and one that's not dying down quietly across networking sites and other platforms on how a fast-food giant — not exactly a beacon of healthy living — is sponsoring the world's best athletic events. Doctors in the UK are infuriated over the move, "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," a site quoted Terence Stephenson, a spokesman for the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges, as saying. Does it send out a wrong message in a country and world battling obesity? Society speaks out….  Indian doctors aghast  Dr Hasmukh Ravat, senior interventional cardiologist at a Mulund hospital, is alarmed. "What a ridiculous thing to happen! Fast food is the biggest culprit for heart disease. Unfortunately here too, we have liqour companies sponsoring events. It should be the moral responsibility of the organisers not to accept such sponsors."  'It's smart advertising'  Author and social commentator Anil Dharker sees it differently. "It's smart marketing and advertising, the chain will certainly get mileage out of this as there are billions of viewers involved. Also brand perception won't change, so if the question is will people eat more fast food? No, people aren't stupid," he states.      Adman Prasoon Joshi who will be going for the Olympics' opening ceremony does not endorse the junk food slant either. "None of the ingredients in burgers etc, are harmful, it all depends on how much you consume. Look at our Indian samosa, it's a daily breakfast and lunch fare here. I don't agree with the aesthetic standards of today that blame a product; it's wrong."  FAT-TALK!  Campaigners from the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) say obesity is the 'single greatest public health threat in the UK'. A website reports how parents feel pestered by kids into buying junk food because of adverts.