Anyone seen Morgan Spurlock's movie?

Haven't seen it, but heard about it.  Crazy dude.  His cholesterol went up something like 200 points!  I'd like to see it, but I'll wait for the DVD

There was an article in yesterday's local paper about it. Seems he ate nothing but McDonalds 3 days per week for a month. He gained 25 lbs, body fat went from 11 to 18 percent, and he developed a liver disease which was not there before the experiment! It took him 14 additional months to get back to his original weight and fitness level and the doctors said the liver ailment has disappeared as well.

I think we all know that a steady diet of fast food (or just about any fast food) is not good for us. Unfortunately the "fattening of America" lays in the hands of our poor choices in general. Makes me feel a bit smug to be part of a community here that enjoys the benefits of staying in shape and leading a healthy life. I'm interested in seeing the documentary and would be grateful if anyone can post a link on seeing or obtaining a DVD. The film won top honors at Robert Redford's Sundance Festival.

Max

Hi,
I saw it on Monday actually - it's not exactly a scientific experiment or anything, but it was hilarious and a great little editorial on how the fast food industry has infiltrated American culture. His girlfriend's comments were especially funny (she's a vegan chef), and watching the reactions of the doctors that were monitoring his experiment was kinda disturbing. For those of you that are too far away to get to a theater that's showing it (or anyone else), I would recommend reading Eric Schlosser's "Fast Food Nation" in the meantime before "Supersize Me" comes out on DVD!

I agree with blonderedhead....I saw it last week.

While the PR campaign for the movie focuses on McDonalds as the "bad guy", it was a good commentary on fast food and bad eating habits in general. What he presented was fairly balanced in that he didn't let the consumer off the hook...we make the choices, folks so we need to take some responsibility.

Visually, watching him literally deteriorate over the course of the month was pretty impactful. And the dr's expressions and concerns and reactions were truly scary.

I walked out of the theater appreciative for the opportunities I have to see a range of opinions and viewpoints and more secure in the knowledge that it's up to me to make good decisions about what me and my son eat.

Interesting side note: My sister just started chef school and during their intro courses their instructor pointed out..."When a fast food establishment says 100% pure beef, that's truth in advertising. But think....100% *PURE* beef is *all* parts of the cow".....more "food" for thought, eh?



Edited by crpadiem 2004-05-19 1:19 PM

I'm not sure I needed that much truth, Nancy!!

Good thing my strict budget mostly restricts all 100% pure beef!! I assume that 100% pure beans aren't too scary!!

Dana

....100% *PURE* beef is *all* parts of the cow".....

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm....horns, hooves, and other assorted cow parts.......

Thank goodness I'm vegetarian (horns and hooves?).  If any of you read "Fast Food Nation" you will be thoroughly grossed out.  It is an interesting read.

I've read Fast Food Nation and interviewed it's author Eric Sch...., who by the way was here in Colorado Springs speaking at a local college's commencement - he graduated from it. I've also worked for a multi-millionaire who owns several McDonald's - this guy is also featured in Eric's book. Eric even had great things to say about him before he tore him a new one! Having personal experience with both of these gentlemen has put me somewhere in the middle. On the one hand I am frightened by the homogenization of our food thanks to big corporations who demand that suppliers grow chicken a certain way so that they can make those mysterious things called "McNuggets." I mean really, a lab in New Jersey that creates desirous tastes to be injected into McDonald's french fries? Sounds sci fi but its true. Read the book. On the other hand here's this chain of restaurants that's found in 31,000 places nationwide and employes millions of people who with the drop of its hat change the industry by saying no more antibotics in the chicken (which McDonald's did by the way). For all of Eric's investigative work it took McDonald's to really change the industry and Eric maybe to influence McDonald's. Is that the chicken or the egg argument? Anyway, the point is dissenters keep the conglomerates on alert because the rest of us are too busy stuffing our mouths, training, going to soccer games, working etc., to pay attention. And really, do we want good food choices? In principal we do but we often don't put our money where our mouth unless Oprah tells us to and even then it's only a fad. If it wasn't the McLean Sandwich would still be around. McDonald's may not listen to Eric but it sure listens to the dollar bill. If we don't like then we shouldn't buy it and we shouldn't blame the company for offering it. Incidentally, there's another woman who has ate nothing but McDonald's food to LOSE weight! She cracks me up with her descriptions of the McFlurries.