NEW YORK - In an effort to bolster the image of its embattled Happy Meal, McDonald€™s is launching a national TV campaign this week, Advertising Age reports.

The campaign will focus on nutrition, an area for which the Happy Meals have come under fire, as some have attributed the iconic meals as contributing to the increase in childhood obesity.

The campaign is believed to be the first major TV initiative for Happy Meals since the hamburger chain revamped its offering last year with apple slices, fewer fries and a low-fat dairy option.

The campaign also follows a nutrition declaration McDonald€™s made when it launched the new kids€™ meal, saying it would "raise nutrition awareness among children and parents through national marketing initiatives €¦ promote nutrition messages in 100% of its national kids' communications, including merchandising, advertising, digital and the Happy Meal packaging €¦ [and] provide funding for grassroots community nutrition-awareness programs."

McDonald€™s commitment to nutrition includes a 15% decrease in sodium across all menu items by 2015, as well as a promise to cut sugar content and saturated fat.

Advertising Age predicted health advocates would scrutinize the new campaign, as the Happy Meals have long been under fire. In December 2010, consumer-advocacy group the Center for Science in the Public Interest filed a class-action lawsuit against McDonald€™s in an effort to prevent the use of toys to market the meals directly to children.

Happy Meals also faced bans in cities including San Francisco, which passed a law preventing restaurants from giving away toys with the kids€™ meals. McDonald€™s thwarted the effort by selling the toys instead.