Documentary Observed:

Supersize Me by Morgan Spurlock

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Objective:

Discover different ways of approaching nutrition, how it impacts our daily lives and what choices we can make to improve our health and our world.

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Answer:

In summary of the documentary of “Supersize Me” by documentarian and author, Morgan Spurlock who takes into the analysis of the influence of the fast food industry on the American diet. At that time it was becoming more recognized as a health crisis of the obesity epidemic that has exploded in America. Not only was the food quality a subject for concern but the fact that a lot of the fast food industry advertisements were projected towards children.

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“Researchers at Yale University found that in 2012, fast-food restaurant chains spent $4.6 billion on advertising, primarily television ads. In recent years, most fast-food restaurants increased their advertising to children, resulting in preschoolers viewing an average of 2.8 fast-food television ads, older children viewing 3.2 ads, and teens viewing 4.8 ads everyday. This is a concern because food advertising has been shown to have a definite effect on weight gain in children and adolescents.” (Wardlaw, 2015, Pg. 6).

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He ate particularly from the corporate company McDonalds, who claims that their food is healthy to eat and that all nutritional value information is readily available. But realistically as he ventures out to each of the McDonald’s restaurants he visits, none of the information is available, in a place that is hidden, or he gets told he would be able to find it online. Spurlock using himself as the test subject by eating their food for 30 days straight. He created strict rules that he had to have eaten at least every meal on their menu at least once and eat meals 3 times a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner from the establishment along with the drinks. He made a strict point that it only had to be from McDonalds including water. Absolutely no outside food allowed and if they asked if he would like to have his meal “Supersized” when he would order that he had to say yes, which happened 9 times. He wanted to show how the American lifestyle and eating of fast food to be as accurate as possible. He did not work out and limited himself to less than 5000 steps a day and would record how he felt during the 30 days.

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Before beginning this examination he set out to find medical specialists in the field of cardiology, gastroenterology, and a general practitioner. He also confided in a nutritionist and fitness expert to also review his current condition and review it as he went through his 30 day experiment. The medical team tested his blood in checking his blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. and he was cleared  by each that he had a good bill of health. Some believed he was even above just being considered a “healthy person.” This experiment could be costly to his health, but some did not think it would make much of a dramatic difference. But realistically he got terrible headaches, food cravings until he ate another McDonalds meal, sleepiness, became less focused, and it even affected his sexual performance. At one point towards the end of his 30 days he began to get heart palpitations and met with the doctors who were surprised by his blood levels had changed so dramatically but advised him to stop his experiment for fear of it giving him fatty liver which could scare him for life or even it killing him.

By the end of the experiment, he nearly doubled his body fat, gained about 25lbs, had a cholesterol level of 230. It took his girlfriend nearly 6 months to just detox his body from all the meals he had eaten within the months time. I chose this documentary because I have heard about it for some time and considering that this documentary has been out since 2004, I have heard rumors about it but I never followed through to find it and watch the documentary. I have heard on multiple occasions that people have said it’s about a guy who eats Mcdonalds food and gets pretty sick. I decided that because the name of the documentary came up in this assignment, than what better time than now to finally follow through and watch it to end all my curiosities I once had before. The author of the documentary is Morgan Spurlock. He had a basic general understanding of being healthy and according to an excerpt from his then girlfriend, now wife vegan chef, Alex Jameison said, 

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“He was also physically fit. Morgan (as I had) grew up in an athletic family (he and his two brothers had been—I kid you not—ballet dancers!). He rode his bike all over Manhattan and practiced yoga on a pretty regular basis. He also, like most New Yorkers, walked everywhere. (The average New Yorker walks about 5 miles a day, while citizens in other parts of the country log only 400 yards to 1 mile per day on foot.)” (Jameison, 2006, Ch. 1).

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The documentary was produced on May  21, 2004. I think that the themes of the documentary are absolutely still applicable to today’s society. When this documentary was presented in 2004 the current rate of adult obesity at that time according to https://stateofchildhoodobesity.org/monitor/, claims it at 32.2% at an upward climb. Todays obesity in America has exploded with its highest score sitting at 39.5% from the states of Mississippi and West Virginia but still with 9 states over 35% range (SCO). 

To compare and contrast topics out of this documentary I am going to provide some examples from the textbook to show the reality of what Mr. Spurlock was trying to represent. Based on a 2200 kilocalorie diet the best quality of our meals within a day, we should consume: Fruits: 2 Cups; Vegetables: 3 cups; Grains: 7 oz. eq; Protein Foods 6 oz eq.; Dairy, 3 cups (Wardlaw, 2015, Pg. 50). Right away from the beginning of his food experiment with McDonald’s he either meets some of these values, none at all or over consumes the values.

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“Accordingly, ChooseMyPlate.gov provides a series of succinct recommendations to help Americans make healthier food choices. Consumer messages include: Balancing Calories; Enjoy your food, but eat less; Avoid oversized portions. Food Components to Increase: Make half your plate fruits and Vegetables; Make at least half your grains whole; Switch to skim or 1% milk.” (Wardlaw, 2015, Pg. 50).

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Below are 3 random choice menu options I have put together as Mr. Spurlock could have eaten on any given day at a McDonald’s restaurant (which be mindful, he actually accomplished eating everything from the menu within less than 2 weeks).