New York, NY, United States (AHN) – New York City Council member Leroy Comrie Jr. filed a bill on Wednesday that proposed to ban fast food chains from using toy prizes in advertising as an attraction to children.

The restriction would not apply if the food has less than 500 calories and 600 milligrams of sodium, and less than 35 percent of the calories should come from fat. The meal must include a half cup of fruit or vegetables or a serving of whole grain products.

Among the food chains expected to be affected by the bill that aims to curb childhood obesity is McDonald’s, which offers toy prizes for its Happy Meals.

The bill is patterned after a similar measure passed in San Francisco in 2010 despite the intense lobbying against the law by fast food chains. A similar lobby is shaping up in New York City against the Fast Food Toy Ban Bill.

The New York State Restaurant Association said the government could not legislate what parents should feed their children and the bill would be an added burden to their businesses.

McDonald’s pointed out that the average child eats at McDonald’s three times a month, so childhood obesity should not be blamed on the food items and the enticing toys the chain offers since the kid has other sources of meals which could be the culprit behind the child’s weight problem.

McDonald’s currently offers Young Justice action figures and plastic animals for buyers of Happy Meals, which have varying nutritional content ranging from 380 calories and 460 mg of salt for Chicken McNuggets with apple slices, low-fat caramel dipping sauce and apple juice, to 700 calories and 1,060 mg of salt for a cheeseburger, French fries and low-fat chocolate milk package.

Comrie admits he filed the bill based on his experience as a parent whose two children – now aged 17 and 13 – grew up on McDonald’s Happy Meals because of limited time and limited options.

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