McDonald's Not to Health Conscious Town's Taste

Loma Linda, a city known globally as a place of health and fitness has recently stared down the antithesis of its way of life -- fast food giant McDonald’s.

Earlier this year, the chain announced plans to bring its golden arches to Loma Linda, identified as a Blue Zone -- an area in which people eat healthy and live long, active lives. It is the only Blue Zone in the US and one of five in the world.

The chain's plans have caused a stir in a city that is home and host to thousands of Seventh-day Adventists, most of whom are vegetarian and do not consume alcohol.

Roughly a quarter of the city's population is still Adventist or former Adventist. According to its website, Loma Linda University Seventh-day Adventist Church serves one of the largest congregations of its faith in the world.

Recently the City Council discussed whether is should consider banning drive-throughs over concerns that allowing too many fast food joints into the small city would hamper efforts to bring in more affluent style restaurants.

But the topic coincided with local opposition to the proposed McDonald's and conversation turned to how much control governments should have over people’s personal habits.

The city already prohibits the sale of hard liquor and outdoor smoking in all areas of the city except in private residences and recently banned medicinal marijuana dispensaries from coming into the city.

“I’m perfectly comfortable with keeping marijuana, alcohol and tobacco as far from Loma Linda as we can get it, but I’m a little bit uncomfortable with starting to legislate vegetarianism,” Mayor Rhodes Rigsby told the council at its most recent meeting.

The McDonald's issue has been ongoing, with a number of locals voicing concerns at City Council and planning commission meetings. The concern was enough to move Councilman Stan Brauer to call for discussion on the future of drive throughs in the city.

“I think, at least for me, it boils down to just what we think is our vision for the city,” Brauer said during the most recent meeting. “I have yet to hear anyone commenting that what the city needs is more drive through fast food restaurants."

Brauer agreed with other council members not to pursue a study on a possible ban at this time.

To many, the Blue Zone designation is a huge deal. Author Dan Buettner partnered with National Geographic to identify the zones about five years ago. Researchers found pockets around the world where people lived healthier lives and reached age 100 at rates 10 times greater than most areas of the United States, according to Blue Zone officials.

He shared his findings on the Oprah Winfrey show giving the city some national attention.

When the author toured the city, it was already home to , , and . All have drive-throughs. Each is already under federal legislation and are required to post calorie counts and food content such fats, carbohydrates and sodium.

But McDonald's will become the eatery with the highest profile, with restaurants located globally. McDonald's USA, LLC is making an effort to change it's image. It has been offering healthier alternatives -- especially in its Happy Meals, which are marketed to children. In July, the company announced it is in the process of reducing added sugars and sodium.

“McDonald’s will always try to do the right thing, and we know we can help make a difference in our communities,” said Jan Fields, president, McDonald’s USA in a statement released last month. “The commitments we’re announcing ... will guide the future evolution of our menu and marketing.”

Not all Loma Linda residents feel hesitant about the McDonalds. Some have made it clear that legislating people's eating habits is not only fruitless, but could cost the city precious sales tax revenue.

"Businesses could say, if we can't have a drive-through we're not going to come to this town," Loma Linda resident Dick Wiley told the council. "It'd be interesting to take a poll and ask the restaurants here how much of their business is drive-through and how much is walk in."