McDonald’s recently hosted a workshop to teach six-graders from Eli Whitney Elementary, in Stratford, CT, about the benefits of eating vegetables and making healthy choices. But instead of fruits and vegetables, kids learned about how to chose between different McDonald’s items. One child opted for a Big Mac instead of an Angus Deluxe, because it had fewer calories.

In the face of a childhood obesity epidemic, choosing one fast food item over another isn’t the kind of nutrition information our kids should be learning. Certainly, McDonald’s, whose food has helped fuel the obesity epidemic, shouldn’t be the teacher. It’s an obvious way for the corporation to brand and market themselves to the younger generation. The majority of offerings at McDonald’s are high in fat, calories, sugar and sodium.

To curb childhood obesity, Connecticut’s Department of Public Health recommends limiting the consumption of high-fat and high-calories foods and to “limit eating out, especially at fast food restaurants.”

Tell McDonald’s to end marketing masked as nutrition education and the Connecticut Superintendent of Schools to replace it with a real effort to help children learn about healthy eating.