Not-so-happy meal: McDonald’s pulls plastic fitness tracker after parents report skin irritation

McDonald’s in America is removing a fitness tracker toy from its ‘happy meal’ offering after the plastic wearable sparked concerns of skin irritation.

According to CNN, the fitness trackers, which were called Step-it and were designed to appeal to children, were already being distributed in the US and Canada with the purchase of a happy meal.

The report says that it was a pedometer-style gadget that ‘measures steps and blinks quickly or slowly depending on the pace of the person wearing it’.

From the outset the notion of a fitness tracker in a fast food meal sparked debate, with CNN quoting Jennifer A. Emond, assistant professor of pediatrics at Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine: "It's a common tactic used by food manufacturers. They promote their products alongside with healthy lifestyles.”

Similarly, Tom Holland, a certified sports nutritionist and Nautilus, Inc. fitness advisor, told FoxNews.com: "While I believe it is vitally important to get kids moving more as well as being more aware of their activity levels, and that activity trackers can be a fun and motivating tool to help kids accomplish both of these things, I do find it problematic that they would need to get them from McDonald's, a fast-food chain."

But when introducing the toy, the fast food giant made the case for using its brand to encourage fitness in children.

“Physical activity is important to everyone of all ages. We very much support children’s well-being,” Michelle McIlmoyle, McDonald’s Canada senior marketing manager, said in a press statement.

“Step-it is in line with McDonald’s general philosophy for Happy Meal toys, which is to make toys that encourage either physical or imagination-based play.”