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By Bruce Horovitz, USA TODAY
Hold the fries. Pass the basketball.
McDonald's, often blamed for childhood obesity, is testing high-tech mini-gyms for kids at seven stores in California, Illinois, Colorado and Oklahoma. The gyms have gizmos for kids ages 4 to 12, from stationary bikes with kid-friendly video screens to hoops courts that electronically cheer players.
If R Gyms — named for Ronald McDonald, of course — are a hit, McDonald's could roll out "a significant number" over the next year, says William Whitman, a McDonald's spokesman. The mini-gyms would replace PlayPlaces — of which there are 5,500 nationwide.
Not everyone is a fan of the new R Gyms. Critics say they're just an image-bolstering bid by Mickey D's — or an attempt to dodge obesity lawsuits or legislation.
Parents may overestimate the benefit of R Gyms and presume kids can eat more junk food, says Kelly Brownell of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University. "A kid can burn 20 calories from the exercise but take in 200 calories from a milkshake."
The move by McDonald's is "from a defensive position," says Sherri Daye Scott, editor of QSR, a fast-food industry trade magazine. "This is McDonald's trying to say: 'See, we're good for America.' "
Whitman says McDonald's is doing the right thing. "Those who criticize McDonald's and the sincerity of our efforts have not been paying attention," he says. Improvements in its menu and nutritional information are "compelling evidence that McDonald's is serious."
The mini-gyms reward kids with flashy videos and electronic messages — but only while kids exercise.
Some typical R Gym gear:
• Video bikes. The stationary bikes are hooked to video games kids can only play while peddling.
• Electronic hoops. T he mini-basketball court gives electronic feedback like cheers and broadcasts "Great Shot!" when a kid makes a basket.
• Climbing equipment. Think rocks of molded plastic. Monkey bars. And some have climbing ropes.
• Video dance pads. Kids dance on electronic pads that signal video screens to show the moves.
The most popular are the R Hoops and bikes, says Richard Ruby, who owns 11 McDonald's in Southern California, including one in Whittier with a gym.
He won't say what the gyms cost. Since the gym opened six months ago, business at his Whittier store is up considerably more than most McDonald's in Southern California, he says. That's why he's planning to install an R Gym in another one of his stores.
"My gut reaction is, this is a good thing," says Philip Haberstro, executive director at the National Association for Health and Fitness. "I'm happy to see it."
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