McDonalds Sponsored What?

Today I read that a weekend conference for Nutritionists held in California had, as their main sponsor, McDonalds.

Yes, you read that right.  What on earth is McDonalds doing at a Nutrition conference???

It appears that they were promoting their "healthy menu" by being the only provider of lunches ..... which, as far as I'm concerned, is no more "healthy" than their regular meals.

To quote from the article:

"One peered into a plastic bowl containing a salad of lettuce, bacon, chicken, cheese, and ranch dressing. The other arranged two chocolate chip cookies and a yogurt parfait on a napkin. "Eww," she said, gingerly stirring the layers of yogurt and pink strawberry goop. The woman with the salad nodded in agreement, poking at a wan chicken strip with her plastic fork."

Sounds disgusting.

McDonalds wasn't the only sponsor, oh no, Hersheys, Butter Buds, Sizzler and California Pizza Kitchen were also there touting their wares.  Even the California Beef Council were giving out pamphlets on how to lose weight by eating steak.

All of this is just so wrong.  But unfortunately, we live in a society where those who have the money also have the power and to put on a large conference it takes money.  It's such a shame that those who organized this event perhaps had no other alternative but to get sponsorship from the least nutritional companies they could find.  

I don't believe they should have even considered doing such a thing as, in my mind, it just makes the word "nutritionist" a complete farce.