By Daily Titan Editorial Board
Published: February 16, 2010

Nothing says “Olympic athletes competing at the top of their game” like a Big Mac, large fries and a Coke. This year’s advertising campaigns for the Olympic sponsors are a little more transparent than usual.

McDonald’s has been running ads featuring young athletes celebrating a hard fought game with a hearty meal of factory processed food and high fructose corn syrup-based beverages.

There is something wrong about telling children with dreams of competing in the Olympics that the athletes they look up to, and aspire to be, typically eat a dose of fried foods and sugar water after grueling physical activity.

There may be a few athletes that like to indulge themselves with the occasional fast food burger, but for the most part, these highly disciplined athletes maintain a strict diet; one that helps them reach the top, not get dragged down by their own mass to the bottom.

It is believable that someone like Michael Phelps would satisfy his munchies at Subway, an eatery that provides low fat and nutritious alternatives to the usual fast food offerings.

But there is no possible way that Apolo Anton Ono became one of the fastest skaters in the world by scarfing a double cheeseburger and downing a bucket o’ cola after every race. Canadian McDonald’s ads feature various athletes talking about their favorite items on the McDonald’s menu. In one of these commercials, Canadian snowboarder Brad Martin talks about how he gives into temptation and eats McDonald’s french fries every chance he gets. McDonald’s goes beyond simple implication to directly telling the viewers that athletes in peak physical condition can stay that way while eating McDonald’s.

The United States Olympic Curling team is possibly the only grouping of “athletes” that could feasibly eat at McDonald’s on a regular basis and still be competitive in sweeping ice and sliding rocks (it’s like bowling without all the cigarette smoke and claw machines).

Can anyone imagine the typical McDonald’s consumer sliding down the luge track without their gut obstructing their view or slowing them down?

It is understandable, however, given the state that the Winter games are in, that the Olympic committee would accept any sponsors willing to contribute money. But consideration needs to be given when it comes to the message being broadcasted to children all over the world. These messages of eating “like an Olympian” are not exclusive to the obese children of America, but to children across the globe.

Companies like GE, who had ad campaigns during the Olympics about energy conservation, and Nissan, with their popular ads for the new all electric car, the Leaf, need to advertise with and help sponsor the Olympics more.

There are several Organic, healthy-living, food corporations that could potentially advertise with the Olympics but don’t. Why? Because of the financial risk of such pricey ad space?

What better demographic than thousands of children looking to get fit and eat healthy so they too can be an Olympian?

This is a negative message being spread like special sauce, not only in the U.S. but all over the world, by American companies.