Disney to Serve Healthier Food at Parks

This undated photo provided by Keith Simpson shows, from left, Keith Simpson, Gerard Moon, Della Whitton, Jennifer Godfrey, Wayne Godfrey and Jim Curtis standing in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle in Disneyland Paris. The group pictured are friends and Disney fans who took a monthlong around-the-world tour to all five Disney parks on three continents. (AP Photos/Julie McAndrew) (Julie Mcandrew - AP)

LOS ANGELES -- The Walt Disney Co. will begin serving more nutritionally balanced meals at its domestic theme parks and will sign movie and other endorsement deals only with restaurants that limit fat and sugar in menu items, the company said Monday.

Trans fats will be eliminated from meals at domestic parks by the end of next year, and will not be included in licensed and promotional products by 2008, Disney said.

Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger said the move came in response to comments from parents about the eating habits of their children.

The company was "well aware of the huge responsibility we have, given our reach and our ability to impact people's behavior and opinions," Iger told The Associated Press from Singapore, where he was on business.

Given the increased attention to healthier eating, "it was the right thing to do," he said.

Disney said it would implement the new guidelines over the next several years as current contracts expire.

Iger said the company also sees a business opportunity in promoting and licensing healthier products, ranging from breakfast cereals to the children's meals it serves at its 11 worldwide theme parks.

The entertainment giant currently licenses characters to Indianapolis-based produce distributor Imagination Farms LLC to provide fruits and vegetables for the Disney Garden brand.

Other large consumer products companies also are pushing healthier eating.

McDonald's Corp. has been adding more salads and fruit to its menus, while Wendy's International Inc. recently said it would switch to cooking french fries and breaded chicken items with non-hydrogenated oil.

Last month, the Federal Communications Commission announced plans to study links between the ads that appear on kids TV shows and the rise of childhood obesity.

A number of entertainment companies have come under fire for maintaining marketing deals with fast food chains and junk food makers.