A coalition of health professionals, parents and corporate accountability advocates is calling for Ronald McDonald to retire as a spokesman for the nation's largest restaurant chain, saying he has too much influence on kids.

Corporate Accountability International, which has waged campaigns against bottled water companies and tobacco companies, wants to stop the Oak Brook-based chain from gearing its advertising toward children in light of what they called a "fast-food-industry childhood obesity crisis."

The group will release the results at a lunchtime "retirement party" Wednesday for McDonald's Chief Happiness Officer, a 50-year veteran of the company, at the McDonald's restaurant at Chicago Avenue and State Street.

The group — which was also behind the effort to retire Joe Camel from Camel cigarettes — will invite Chicagoans to sign retirement cards at the McDonald's. The event is one of nearly two dozen to be held at McDonald's restaurants and colleges across the country that day, according to group spokesman Nick Guroff.

A spokeswoman for McDonald's said the company wasn't invited to the party, but said Ronald's role as a brand ambassador hasn't changed. It's to bring out the fun side of having meals with family and to promote an active lifestyle, she said. "He is the heart and soul of Ronald McDonald House Charities, which lends a helping hand to families in their time of need," McDonald's told the Tribune in a written statement.

"Ronald also helps deliver messages to families on many important subjects such as safety, literacy and the importance of physical activity and making balanced food choices," the company said.

(By Julie Wernau, Chicago Tribune, 29/10/2010)