After Reports of Injuries, McDonald's Will No Longer Include Fitness Trackers in Its Happy Meals

In an attempt to break the public's association between its food and poor heath, McDonald's recently announced that it would be including fitness trackers in every Happy Meal for four weeks.

However, this limited-time offer was unexpectedly cut short and ended almost as soon as it began after complaints surfaced of children experiencing skin problems from the electronic devices. "We have taken this swift and voluntary step after receiving limited reports of potential skin irritations that may be associated with wearing the band," Terri Hickey, a spokeswoman for McDonald's, said in a statement.

Every Happy Meal in the US and Canada was set to participate in the "Step-it" fitness tracker promotion. The wrist pedometers came in six different colors and blinked at different speeds depending on a child's movement throughout the day. "Step-it is in line with McDonald's general philosophy for Happy Meal toys, which is to make toys that encourage either physical or imagination-based play," McDonald's Canada Senior Marketing Manager, Michelle McIImoyle, told CityNews.

As one of the main sponsors of the 2016 Olympic games, McDonald's timed the release to coincide with the impressive athletic feats as well as Summer break when kids have the most time to play.