Supersize

I will never eat fast food again. Not that I have eaten it very much since my teenage years, but thanks to Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me I am finished with it forever. And I have a feeling that many people had the same reaction to this award-winning documentary.

Obesity is the second leading cause for preventable death in the United States. This year it will surpass smoking to become number one. The availability of every sort of fast food one can imagine only helps these numbers. Morgan Spurlock condemns himself to eating 30 days of nothing but McDonald's - three meals a day, every day. If McDonald's didn't sell it, he couldn't eat it. He did set a few rules for himself. He must try everything on the menu at least once, and if the cashier asked if he wanted to super size he had to say yes. And he forced himself to eat everything, including the 40-ounce drink and dessert. Since the average American doesn't exercise, he didn't either. The results of this experiment are startling and cause for concern. Yes it is an extreme case, but it does make one wonder what the consequences are for moderate users over a longer time frame.

Prior to the beginning of this experiment, Spurlock is checked out by three doctors, a general practitioner, a cardiologist, and a gastroenterolo gist. They each gave him a prognosis of exceptional health. All they really expect is for him to gain a few pounds, and that's about it. However, in the course of a month his health rapidly deteriorates. He displays symptoms of fatigue, insomnia, depression, chest pains, difficulty breathing, and suffers sexual side effects. His liver goes to hell on a fast train, so much so that one of his doctors begs him to quit 20 days into the experiment. And oh yeah, his cholesterol shoots up 40 points and he gains nearly 25 lbs.

In between shots of him eating at McDonald's across the nation, Spurlock does provide informational interviews. He mentions that two teenage girls who sued McDonald's, blaming the company for their obesity inspired his documentary. He speaks to the lawyer representing the girls. He does an interesting piece on how McDonald's and like companies target children for their advertising. He conducted a small experiment showing that kids recognize Ronald McDonald's face more easily than they recognize George Washington or the current president. The money the fast food industry spends on advertising is unimaginable compared to that of health companies. Spurlock also takes time to look at what schools are offering children for food. Let's just say that it's more than a little frightening. Though they offer a myriad of frozen ready-made foods (which are bad in their own right) kids are permitted to buy a la carte. One girl he stopped was eating a bag of chips and pop. Another said French fries were her vegetable for the day. Schools turn a blind eye saying the children pack their lunch and these items are extras. However, that doesn't seem to be the case. One alternative school in Wisconsin uses a natural food program in which foods are actually prepared in the school cafeteria. The extra cost of this program is nominal. And eating healthier improves the student's attention, behavior, and performance.

Spurlock is excellent for this type of documentary. He has just the right amount of wit and sarcasm paired with serious investigation into the above topics. He provides a well packaged piece of entertainment and education, which probably contributes to the worldwide success of the documentary. And just for extra fun, his girlfriend (featured throughout the film) happens to be a vegan chef. If you decide to check out the film, do not return it before checking out “The Smoking Fry” segment in the extras. You will be absolutely, thoroughly sickened.