Valuation of Supersize me

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Recommended: The fast food culture of the USA

Evaluation of Super Size Me Americans are fat and growing fatter with each passing day. One does not have to do look far to see how fat we are. Take a stroll to the supermarket, college campuses, offices, playgrounds, fast food restaurants, or malls and see the evidence of fat America. What is causing this epidemic of obesity? There are a plethora of reasons including overeating, lack of exercise, fast food, processed food, dieting, and sedentary lifestyles. Morgan Spurlock of New York City decided to tackle one aspect of this problem with his idea of studying the McDonald’s way by limiting his intake of food for one month to only McDonald’s and filming this adventure. The result is the movie Super Size Me. Spurlock finds that the McDonald’s way is a super highway to fat city. Mr. Spurlock followed three rules as during this journey; he could only eat what was available over the counter, including water, no super sizing unless it was offered, and he had to eat and try every item at least once. But before Spurlock hit the roads throughout the United States interviewing Surgeon Generals to gym teachers, cooks to kids, and lawmakers to legislators, all in 20 cities (including Houston which is known as the “fattest city” in America) he went to numerous doctors and nutritionists and every one told him that he was in shape and in good health. While making the film, Spurlock consumed in 30 days as much McDonald’s as most nutritionists would advise to have in 8 years. He revealed to the American public the truth about fast food. Something many already knew, but found it easier to avoid the fattening truth. Today 1 in 4 Americans visit a fast food restaurant on a daily basis. About 95% of the commercials that children see are for foods filled with sugars and fats. Children are bombarded with images of fast food by media advertising. Most Americans understand the marketing strategy of McDonald's -- appealing to the young. From an early age children are lured into McDonald’s by promotions of toys, actions figures, yummy food packaged into Happy Meals, and small on site playgrounds. The food is fast, comparatively cheap, and hot. In the film Spurlock interviewed a family in front of the White House and asked them to recite the Pledge of the Allegiance. After they wearily recited it, the family was asked about their memories of McDonald’s. Their faces lit... ... middle of paper ... ...e are those folks that will eat there every day let alone numerous times a week. In 1972, we spent 3 billion a year on fast food - today we spend more than 110 billion. Ironically Americans spend all kinds of money trying to lose weight each year, but need to concentrate on exercise, eating healthy, and cutting out fast food. Overweight Americans need to empower themselves and stop talking about being fat, and get moving on some simple solutions like eating less and moving more. After this movie was shown at a film festival McDonalds stopped super sizing 6 weeks later and introduced the “Go Active!” meal. The results on Spurlock may have been extraordinary on how quickly he gained weight and how his body and health were slowly deteriorating, but this shows why so many Americans are overweight and the way they are. Everything, even the little “healthy” options are jam packed with sugars and calories. This might also explain why 60% of the population is overweight or obese. Super Size Me. Dir. Morgan Spurlock. Perf. Morgan Spurlock. 2004. DVD. Samuel Goldwin Films, 2004. “Super Size Me by the Pound”. Super Size Me: A Film of Epic Proportions. 8 Mar. 2004. .

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