Fast-food mascot Ronald McDonald is set to be given a fruit make-over.

The famous icon is to set to appear on television juggling fruit and snowboarding in a new advert.

The new leaner, more health-conscious Ronald will encourage children to get up and join him playing sports.

Images of hamburgers and fries, the food McDonald's is best known for, will be noticeably absent from the campaign, replaced by fruit.

The fast-food giant said its decision to get rid of references to its traditional fast foods in the ad is part of a refocusing of the company's message about food.

A company spokesman said: “We felt it more appropriate to expand the discussion to all foods at this point.”

The move is part of McDonald’s moves to reposition itself in a healthy light, with a growing emphasis on fresh fruit and salads.

However, the new ads have received criticism, according to reports on the BBC.

“If they are telling kids to eat vegetables, they should have the food to back that up and they should make it attractive and fun and interesting like the Happy Meals," said Samantha Heller, a clinical nutritionist and exercise physiologist at New York University.