McDonald's Supersize option, which includes a 7-ounce carton of fries and 42-ounce fountain soda, has been targeted by critics as contributing to a growing obesity crisis in the United States where more than half the population is considered overweight or obese.
The world's largest fast-food company, which began offering Supersize portions widely in 1994, said it is making the menu changes to "support a balanced lifestyle" approach that is in keeping with other recent moves to promote healthier behaviour.
These include a planned national launch of a Happy Meal for adults called Go Active! In the past year, it has introduced several health-oriented foods, such as entree-sized salads and healthy alternatives in children's Happy Meals, including milk and fruit.
A new documentary film, called "Super Size Me" illustrates the negative effects of over-consumption of McDonald's food. The film has not yet been released.
A McDonald's spokeswoman said that the menu changes are not related to any impact of the film on public awareness.
The company has been reducing complexity of its menu, part of a broader push to improve operations and service in its more than 13,000 U.S. restaurants.
Analysts said the change reflects McDonald's move away from discounting toward an emphasis on foods with higher-quality ingredients and better profit margins, such as the new salads and the all-white-meat Chicken McNuggets.
(Agencies)
麦当劳由于出售高脂肪食品而倍受指责，公司宣布将在今年年底取消超大装炸薯条和软饮料。这表明麦当劳开始改变立场来取悦注重健康的消费者，并且简化菜单。
麦当劳提供的超大装食品包括容量为7盎司的炸薯条和42盎司的饮料，批评者们指责这些食品导致了美国不断恶化的肥胖危机，美国有超过半数的人口超重或肥胖。
麦当劳是世界上最大的快餐公司，从1994年开始在全世界销售超大装食品。麦当劳说修改菜单是为了“支持平衡的生活方式”而采取的一项措施，以配合最近推出的其他促进健康行为方式的举措。
其中包括计划在全国范围内推出的成人“开心乐园餐”，名为“行动起来！”。去年，麦当劳推出了一些健康食品，例如，主菜份量的色拉和儿童开心乐园餐的健康配料，包括牛奶和水果。
一部新拍的纪录片《我吃超大装》详细阐述了过量消耗麦当劳食品产生的副作用。这部影片还没有公开上映。
麦当劳的一位女发言人说此次修改菜单与该影片对公众意识的影响无关。
为了能够进一步改善美国13000家分店的经营和服务，麦当劳公司已经降低了菜单的复杂程度。
分析家们说菜单发生的变化反映出麦当劳已经从降价策略转向强调更高质量的食品，追求更高的利润率，，新推出的色拉和新款鸡脯肉麦乐鸡就是很好的例子。
French fries: 炸薯条,炸土豆片
health-minded: 关心健康的
entrée: 主菜（美）；两道正菜间的小菜（英）
over-consumption: 过度消费
profit margin: 利润率
white meat: 白肉 (指禽类的胸部和翅膀等处的肉)