A US consumer advocacy group has filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s, accusing the fast-food chain of using deceptive advertising practices to lure children to the company’s restaurants. The lawsuit, brought by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, accuses McDonald’s of using the promotional toys included in its Happy Meals to get children to pester their parents into bringing them to its restaurants.

Happy Meal toys and other promotions that come with high-calorie children's meals will soon be banned in parts of Santa Clara County unless the restaurants meet nutritional guidelines approved Tuesday by the county Board of Supervisors.

"This ordinance prevents restaurants from preying on children's' love of toys" to sell high-calorie, unhealthful food, said Supervisor Ken Yeager, who sponsored the measure. "This ordinance breaks the link between unhealthy food and prizes."