“Super Size Me” (2004) is a film about overeating in America by independent New York filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. For one month everything he ate or drank came from McDonald’s. Everything. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. And snacks. Even the water he drank. He ate everything on the McDonald’s menu at least once.
He also made sure he got no more exercise than most Americans – which as a New Yorker was hard to do. Most New Yorkers do not have cars and wind up walking 8 km a day, twice as much as the average American. He made up for this by going on the road to the fattest city in the land: Houston, Texas.
One other rule: Whenever a McDonald’s employee asked whether he wanted to “super size” his order, he had to say yes. He was asked nine times.
He had doctors check him out at the beginning, middle and end. He wrote down everything he ate and drank and had a nutritionist review it regularly and give him advice.
In just one month he gained 24.5 pounds (11.1 kg), more than a tenth of his body weight. He gained most of it in the first 11 days. Even worse, by the end his liver was like that of a drunk. The doctors were shocked. They did not expect that at all. On top of that he doubled his chances of a heart attack and his sex drive dropped.
He threw up after he ate his first super-sized meal but soon he found he was eating twice as much as his body weight required. He got hooked on the stuff: he felt wonderful when he was eating it, but felt tired and terrible when he was not. Cue Curtis Mayfield’s “Pusherman” and pictures of Ronald McDonald.
More troubling than any of that was his part on what children eat:
The food industry says that it merely provides the food and drink that people freely choose to buy, that it is up to parents and schools to inform children about healthy eating.
If it were only that simple.
First, Spurlock showed how terrible most school lunches are. It was not a matter of cost: he showed a school that provided healthy lunches at low cost. No, it was because the companies which provide the lunches, like Sodexho, block any meaningful change. They give schools a hard time just for wanting to get rid of soft drinks.
Even worse:
He showed young schoolchildren pictures of three famous people:
Half of them got George Washington, none of them got Jesus Christ (!!!) but every single one got Ronald McDonald. McDonald’s is better than any school or any church at getting its message across.
McDonald’s cries “personal responsibility” but what of their responsibility? Is it just to the shareholders and the bottom line?
Throughout the film Spurlock shows pictures of evil-looking Ronald McDonalds.
After his month of McDonald’s food, his girlfriend, a vegetarian cook, took over. It took him 14 months to lose all the weight he had gained.
See also:
“Half of them got George Washington, none of them got Jesus Christ (!!!) but every single one got Ronald McDonald.”
I like that none of the young ones recognized this so-called “Jesus.” Without going into -why- maybe these children are much smarter than we think… and smarter than the average American, (who’s not very smart) at least in -this- particular regard!
Nonetheless, this is a GOOD post about a food plague of epic proportions! : )
Thank you Abagond.
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SSM’s thesis should be taken with as large a portion of salt as found in a meal of that name.
Spurlock totally disregarded the needs of his own body, indeed he rode roughshod over them, that is totally abnormal. “He threw up his first super-sized meal”.
Prior to his ‘experiment’ he ate a hugely restricted diet not exactly of his own choosing-according to him, he was also influenced to eat that for reasons outside his own desires and needs.
When you come off any restrictive low calorie diet you get what’s called rebound weight gain. I also suspect this was where the idea came from, it’s called feederism.
“Exercise” doesn’t = activity, it refers solely to programes of physical activity. That means if you work a full time job, or several part time ones, look after family and home, but don’t do formal exercise programes, you are classed as “sedentary” because no work outs.
He didn’t get “hooked” talk to drug addicts and alcoholics for what that actually entails. The mindless mis-use of the addiction state must cease.
The body adjusts quickly to highly suitable food, because it is that, that’s its appeal and why it is so successful all over the world, amongst nations who eat loads of leafy greens too.
Honestly people are losing perspective on food, turning it into a lethal substance.
Try doing without it for a month.
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I have yet to see this documentary. I try to avoid as much junk food as I can, but I have, on occasion, eaten at McDonald’s. I know Morgan Spurlock was making a point, but I can’t imagine eating McDonald’s food every day.
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presq-t’j
Certain foods can be lethal if you constantly push them in you body; through the blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, then losing a toe, then a foot, then a leg, then both legs.
I am amazed at the amount of amputees I’ve seen as a result of diabetes in dialysis clinics and nursing facilities. then there are more people who are able to manage their disease. Diabetes is becoming epidemic in proportion, even in young children.
Have your A1C tested.
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presq-t’j
We also do not walk the plains as hunters and gatherers.
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I saw this movie. I thought it was an interesting, albeit extreme, documentary about the issue of junk food and its impact, via marketing, on the people who choose to consume McDonald’s menus on a daily basis. I rarely eat fast food, and watch my diet because hypertension and diabetes runs in my family. I prefer to know what’s in my food and how it is prepared – I shop wisely and eat well.
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I’ve seen this doc (& Super High Me…no relation). I remember the “blah” feeling during my college years when I ate fast food on consecutive days. I rarely eat it these days due to costs, though I do visit a few places on occasion. I think it’s the lack of nutritional education, time to prep food from scratch, choice, and just the overall convenience.
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I watched it DVD a few years ago. At first I really didn’t think anything of it. But what I did notice over time was the concentration of FAST FOOD franchises in lower income neighborhoods; white, black ,and Hispanic-usually located by the rare grocery store. They are actually competing with a healthy alternative. I don’t blame because this is capitalism at its finest. When I ran the numbers on my own, for a week’s worth of food for a family of 4-in any combination- its cheaper in the long run to just go to the grocer.
Another thing that stuck out was the children being familiar with icons from advertising. Thank God for PBS, until Big Bird becomes a plastic toy in a kid’s meal.
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Mcdonald’s removed the super size from it’s menu and claimed it wasn’t because of the movie.
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“McDonald’s cries ‘personal responsibility’ but what of their responsibility? Is it just to the shareholders and the bottom line?”
In a capitalist system firms only have one motive– Make money.
It doesn’t make much sense to expect corporations to simply do the right thing. If the people aren’t willing to lobby to their governments for regulations then they’re pretty much asking to be taken advantage of. This film got TONS of publicity, yet McDonald’s is still in business.
Americans have voted with their mouths. McDonald’s isn’t to blame. Ppl just don’t care…
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I have never watched this film from start to finish but I will… eventually.
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@ The Cynic,
Yeah, in a strictly capitalist system, but the U.S. and all other developed countries have mixed systems. In the U.S., governments are charged with watchdog responsibilities, and when it comes to food, with watching out so that food that isn’t actually good for you isn’t advertised as such.
It doesn’t make much sense to expect corporations to simply do the right thing.
Right, they’re only in the “business” of making money, not of being responsible citizens within in local, national, and global communities. [rolls eyes] Being responsible corporate citizens would mean reigning in activities that harm people.
If the people aren’t willing to lobby to their governments for regulations then they’re pretty much asking to be taken advantage of.
People have lobbied for food regulations, and the U.S. has many of them. Unfortunately, corporations have a lot of financial influence in Washington, and they’ve found innumerable ways to stifle food regulations that would prevent harmful food, and that would increase rather than decrease healthy alternative food choices. Along with that, “the people” have less and less influence on Washington. Big money is basically in the business of trying to privatize the government, in order to further enrich the already rich.
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Wow this guy stuffed himself with hamburgers and french fries and he got fat? amazing.
The same thing would happen no matter where he got his fatty, calorie dense foodstuffs. Oh wait was that “the arab trader argument?” my bad. I mean…BURN MCDONALDS TO THE GROUND!!!
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@aspergum
If you were living in a neighborhood that was plagued with continuous home invasions would you leave all of your doors unlocked, alarms untouched based on the belief that thieves should be kept accountable and responsible for their wrong doings?
These corporations have a track record and I feel it is much more sensible to interact with them based off of their history and not some idealistic vision of what they should be.
Yes, people have lobbied for food regulations, but they lack financial power, not bc they aren’t some big money making corporation, but bc they have little political/financial support from the populace at large. Like I said before, why hasn’t McDonald’s gone out of business if people do not want their unhealthy products?
Americans have voted with their mouths. McDonald’s isn’t to blame. Ppl just don’t care…
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Another great food based documentary “Fat, Sick, and nearly dead.”
It’s on Netflix streaming.
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^^^It’s like the reverse of Super size me. instead of starting out healthy and eating an extremely crappy diet, This guy starts out fat and goes on a 30 day juice fast. He loses more weight than the super size me guy gains in that period plus he clears up the health problems he was taking a myriad of expensive medications to control. The really amazing part is when he inspires this morbidly obese truck driver to do the same. The ensuing transformation is crazy to see.
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I really liked this movie. People poo-poo it because, well duh, of course it’s bad to eat nothing but fast food. But… double-duh, of course it’s obvious. That isn’t the point. I’ve met plenty of people, mostly children, who don’t believe me when I say McDonald’s is bad for you, and that alone provides plenty of need for this sort of thing’s visibility.
Spurlock can be sort of a knob, though. His Kola Boof comments were outlandish and disgusting.
@Abagond: Have you seen the episode of 30 Days where he goes to a Reservation? Penny for your thoughts.
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@jas0nburns – I saw Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead about two weeks ago and it was awesome! The truck driver’s transformation was amazing to watch. I tried a juice fast once and couldn’t make it through the day. It takes a lot of willpower to make such a dramatic change in your eating habits. I appreciate documentaries like Spurlock’s, Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, and even Food, Inc. They’ve caused me to think more about the foods that I eat and make some changes.
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@saadiyah
Yeah it inspired me too. I’ve actually been on it for 17days now. Although i’m not strictly juicing i’m eating fruits and veggies as well along with some nuts. For me it hasn’t been that hard once I committed. Just got to hold yourself to it.
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I friend of mine did the exact thing, but by an accident. Well, he ate a lot of McDonald’s stuff (not as much as Spurlock, though). Still, he developed serious health problems.
But in my country healthy food is much cheaper than McDonald’s.
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I’ve heard about this a while back, but I’ve yet to see it. I’m still interested in watching this film.
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McDonald’s is low quality crap. Healthy or unhealthy, it’s still low quality crap. And forget about the month, as I’d be banging my head against a wall; projectile vomiting and smelling french fry grease everywhere I went if I had to eat nothing but McDonald’s for even 2 days.
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Ah yes McDonald’s, that internationally famous Scottish restaurant.
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thanks jasOnburns, I’m already inspired! Best of luck on your trek–you can make it! Maybe come back here and report your results?
Yes, people have no idea how very, very true it is that YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT.
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@The Cynic,
It isn’t simply the case that corps are what they are. They are what they DO. If they’re well regulated, they won’t do as much nefarious stuff to others as they would otherwise.
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@aspergum
“If they’re well regulated, they won’t do as much nefarious stuff to others as they would otherwise.”
-Did I not just say this in my FIRST comment on this thread??? How do you try to debate someone(which I really don’t even feel like doing right now) by agreeing with a part of their argument?
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What about a documentary on over drinking in America?
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@The Cynic,
No, you didn’t say that. All I can find in your comments that’s somewhat similar is this:
It doesn’t make much sense to expect corporations to simply do the right thing. If the people aren’t willing to lobby to their governments for regulations then they’re pretty much asking to be taken advantage of.
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@Aspergum
Do you seriously not see the obvious similarities between our statements?
Aspergum: “If they’re well regulated, they won’t do as much nefarious stuff to others as they would otherwise.”
The Cynic: “If the people aren’t willing to lobby to their governments for regulations then they’re pretty much asking to be taken advantage of.”
What did you want me to do, foresee your argument and type it up verbatim? Those two comments are basically saying the same damn thing. What is the difference btwn saying someone is taking advantage of others to saying someone is doing nefarious stuff to others and that this is possible bc of the absence of regulations?
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Oh sure, they’re similar, but you said before that you said the same thing I did. Can you not see that the two sentences differ in meaning and focus, despite a superficial similarity? Mine doesn’t say who does the regulating, with an implication that govt should do it, and if it doesn’t, corps will be abusive. Yours blames a lack of regulation on “the people,” who only need to clamor for govt regulation, and then they’d get better actions from corps, and if people don’t clamor, then being taken advantage of is their own damn fault, not the corps. Which leads to lots of other apparent issues and implications, ones that I’d mostly disagree with.
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@aspergum
Omg I freaking hate it when people try to play the game of semantics with me.
aspergum: “Mine doesn’t say who does the regulating”
From Merriam-Webster:
Definition of REGULATE
transitive verb
1a : to govern or direct according to rule. b (1) : to bring under the control of law or constituted authority (2) : to make regulations for or concerning <regulate the industries of a country
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regulate
Look, when YOU or anybody uses the term regulation that implies government intervention. If the government is not involved, then that is simply corporations doing the right thing. Why would you use the term regulate if their is no oversight?
“Yours blames a lack of regulation on “the people,” who only need to clamor for govt regulation, and then they’d get better actions from corps, and if people don’t clamor, then being taken advantage of is their own damn fault, not the corps.”
-Did you not see me type,
Cynic: “agreeing with a PART of their argument?”
You retorted by bringing up a PART of my argument that I had already brought up in my first comment. You never bothered addressing the part we disagree with and why you disagree with it. Even in your last comment directed towards me you make some vague statement about “apparent issues” you have yet to mention
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Ah yes McDonald’s, that internationally famous Scottish restaurant.
I’ll take a MacDonalds hamburger over haggis any day!
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I never had haggis but I bet if you ate it for every meal and stuffed yourself (even after you puked from too much food) while not exercising you would probably gain close to 30 lbs in a month and feel like crap. Then we could make a documentary called “Haggis me” and be famous.
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@ jas0nburns
I can’t quite embrace the idea of having a sheep’s stomach in my stomach — especially a sheep’s stomach that is stuffed with it’s own heart and lungs, all chopped up, and fried in it’s own fat!
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@ king
I’ll try anything once. Plus I’m half Scottish so I would feel obligated. Couldn’t be worse than a hot dog.
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@ King & jas0nburns:
I don’t know if I’d want to try haggis…maybe if I went to Scotland and had it prepared correctly – I guess it would depend on my mood, because I’m not the type of person to say that I don’t like a specific food if I’ve never tried it. For instance, I would never have dreamed of eating raw seafood of any sort, but after trying sushi and raw oysters, I can say that I’m almost addicted to them!
Very rare beef or venison is pretty tasty, too – season and sear the outside, but leave the inside red and bloody…delicious! 😎
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Ultimately, too much of anything can be bad for one’s system – but under the GIGO rule, one can pollute themselve much faster on junk food than they would with healthy things. You definitely are what you eat! I’d go even further and say that you are what you consume…and food isn’t the only thing that people consume. Food for thought, eh? Pun intended… 😉
(GIGO = Garbage In, Garbage Out)
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Last comment on this topic from me – British chef Jamie Oliver had done an experiment on his show, Food Revolution, attempting to convince American children how bad Chicken McNuggets are:
I’d always called those things ‘deep-fried, crunchy chicken beaks’…
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ROFL omg that look on his face after the kids put their hands up is just priceless!
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I saw that Oliver episode a while back. Actually there is nothing inherently bad about eating a blended up chicken carcass other than the “ewww” factor. There are just as many nutrients there as in the muscle. At least you are using the whole chicken.
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And this from Englishman. The country that brought us blood pudding.
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I have not seen this movie, because I have read about it and I just get provoked.
OK Mc Donald’s is a big evil multinational company who has done some bad things during time, and I think they are aware of it, and they use a lot of PR resources to make their business look better to the public, and in fact I believe it works, because Mc Donald’s have a lot to loose if some critical digging journalist finds out that they just pretend.
Mc Donald’s have very high hygiene standards and routines and extreme strict quality demands to their suppliers. But because they are so big accidents happens, and then the media are all over them. I live in Norway, and some years ago some people got sick eating some chicken or fish burgers from a Mc Donald’s restaurant. It was a scandal out of proportions.
Mc Donald’s is a “legal target” because Mc Donald’s are Mc Donald’s; a big evil multinational company who contribute to the destruction of the rain forest and feeds the world with unhealthy fat carbo food just to profit on it.
He gained 11,1 kg in one month! So what, my brother gained 8 kg in one week when he stopped smoking. The fact that his girlfriend is a vegetarian cook tells me a lot of his stands.
When I grove up, my parents best friends was a couple who was vegetarians and artists. As artist mainly, they also had a minimal budget. They also had to sons my age, clearly underfeed. Both still have some health problems because of their strict vegetarian childhood, and both are today meat eaters. Today their parents admit they acted wrong, but still are vegetarians and on welfare because of health problems related to unilateral diet.
Its no doubt these kids would had a positive health effect with some visits to Mc Donald’s during their childhood.
Not surprised e threw up his first super-sized meal, if he was a vegetarian, since this is a normal reaction if you not used to meat.
I’m quite sure he would have a negative health effect if he decided to eat all his meals on any other fast food place as well.
A friend who is a cook, diet expert and diet adviser for professional athletes clams that the Mc Donald’s food it’s not that bad. The burger it self contains mainly proteins.
A diverse diet gives the best health outcome. It’s not illegal to sell food containing fat and carbohydrates.
Fat and carbos taste good; personally I hate “healthy food” and “healthy burgers”, give me a fat greasy one.
Fat and Carbohydrates are cheap food, maybe to cheap.
It’s no doubt that Ronald Mc Donald the Clown is marketing targeting children. That’s an ethical question that should be discussed. It’s not unthinkable Ronald Mc Donald the Clown sometime in the future will enjoy retirement on a beach along with his friends Camel Joe and Great Tony Tiger.
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Has anyone seen the documentary “Food Inc”?
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Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead looks like a really good movie. In fact, it looks better than Super Size Me. 😀
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I am dying for a Filet o’ Fish, several in fact!
Wish me luck. LOL!
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Abagond! There’s a film you should watch called Fat Head (2009) that is a response to Super Size Me, alot of stuff gets disproved in it. The guy tried a fast food diet and actually lost weight, for one. It also has alot of facts about obesity and how some of what we think we know isn’t actually true. It’s interesting.
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