Under the Golden Arches, you can get salads instead of Big Macs. Now, McDonald’s is launching a an initiative to promote healthier living. Of course, some are dismissing the move, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest, whose executive director said, “I think it’s just window dressing designed to promote a more cuddly feeling toward the company than to really change their core business practices.” (At our house, we refer to the Center for Science in the Public Interest as “The Food Nazis.” These are the guys who told you to stop eating movie theater popcorn and Fetuccini Alfredo.)

In its report on the subject, AP introduced the Center for Science in the Public Interest’s skepticism this way: “Some critics see the campaign as a public relations counterattack.” It’s yet another example of the automatic connection between the term “public relations” and unsubstantial spin.

I have no inside knowledge about the initiative or the fast food chain’s motivation for launching it. But there’s no reason to dismiss the notion that it could be a PR move—of the best kind.

McDonald’s (and the rest of the fast food industry) has been under pressure for its contribution to the rising obesity problem in the US. With its mandate of managing the relationships between an organization and its publics, PR professionals could have suggested that McDonald’s become a guiding force for healthy living. “Introduce more healthy items, more salads. Make it fashionable to eat healthy. Spend money to produce educational materials for kids so they embrace a healthy lifestyle early on. Alter your image to reflect your new focus on healthy living.”

In fact, that’s what McDonald’s is doing. TV ads will feature Venus and Serena Williams, Wayne Gretzky, and Bonnie Blair. The company’s Web site is undergoing a redesign to reflect the cause. A series of Ronald McDonald videos are in production to teach kids how to eat well and be active. In the words of the company’s CEO, Jim Skinner, “We will use our size and strength to set an example.”

Sure, it could all be window dressing; that remains to be seen. If it’s not, if the company has, in fact, embraced a healthier approach to its business, then the shift represents an action taken to affect the company’s relationships with its publics: public relations. I like to think a smart PR person had a hand in the decision. It’s the best kind of PR; it’s what PR practitioners should be doing for their clients.