Why do parents need Burger King's help? #tellusatoday

Letter to the editor:

It's great to see the latest action by Burger King, which now offers only milk and juice with its kids' meals. This is counter to the usual practice of offering a soft drink to a child along with the company's delicious hamburger and fries. It's about time these fast-food companies did something along these lines to fight the obesity scourge in the United States.

Earl Beal; Terre Haute, Ind.

We asked what our followers thought about Burger King dropping soft drinks from kids' meals. Comments from Twitter and Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

Families shouldn't be at Burger King in the first place, but if they are, they should have to ask for pop for kids.

— @kphanlon

Should parents have more control over what is served? Definitely! Let us decide if our kids get a treat.

— @ellenzradio

It's ultimately the parents' decision; however, we can't tell a company what to sell and not to sell.

— @FinntasticSmith

Eliminating soda is important, but it is just a small piece of a large puzzle. Parents should improve their children's lifestyles, which might mean improving their own. Focus first on providing a nutritious diet. Second, make sure the child gets vigorous exercise almost every day. Last, focus on weight. Lifestyle improvements are more important than the scale.

— Jay Wiener

I get so confused about why parents can't make this decision themselves. My kids are allowed soda when I feel it is appropriate. When we go out to eat, it is usually water for all unless I choose to treat them to soda. It is amazing to me that people needed soda dropped from the children's menu. Really, come on, America! It's a fast-food restaurant's fault you can't control your kids' soda intake? No wonder so many struggle in setting boundaries for their kids.

— Tracy Littel- McCall

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