In an effort to prove that the fast food industry is responsible for the growing obesity rate in the United States, independent filmmaker Morgan Spurlock followed a 30-day diet modification program that consisted only consuming only food from the McDonalds menu.
His goal was to showcase the fast food industry?s efforts to promote an unhealthy diet for it?s own financial gain. The movie, Super Size Me, was an Academy Award nominee in 2004 in the documentary film category. This movie focused on proving fast food and obesity worked together to create the epidemic health and weight concerns that are becoming such a global problem.
Fast Food and Obesity Provide Ground Rules for Documentary Style Film
Spurlock consumed 5000 each day whilst on the 30 day McDonald’s diet plan and during this time he had to eat three meals daily and every item of the menu had to be indulged in at least once during the duration of the plan. The day before the diet commenced Spurlock weighed in at 185 pounds. He was a six feet two inches tall healthy thirty two year old with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 23.2. By the end of the plan he had put on 24.5 pounds and his BMI had reached 27.
Bearing in mind a healthy BMI for someone of Spurlock’s age, height and weight should fall between 19 and 25, it was clear to see that he had gone from the healthy to overweight bracket in a relatively short period of time when following the McDonald’s eating plan. This proved to many people that his claim of the relationship between fast food and obesity was duly substantiated. In fact, during the first five days alone of following the fast food diet he gained nearly ten pounds in weight.
Fast Food and Obesity Experiment ? The Results
The movie created by Spurlock made a huge impression on the United States and other nations who to this date had supported the McDonald’s fast food industry and although the company denied the movie to be the reason, McDonald’s quickly phased out the supersize option on their menu and added salads as a healthy option for their customers to take.
It is interesting to note that while the salads are offered as a healthy option, when combined with fried chicken breasts and fat laden salad dressings, many of the salads contain more calories and fat grams than the burgers and fries. McDonalds never agreed that fast food and obesity were related nor did they admit that their menu items were a cause for obesity.
Although McDonald’s now offer what they call healthy options compared with their many full fat fast food choices, the consumer will not select the healthy option just because it appears on the menu. The customers can personally modify the menu to suit their requirements, but the majority of them simply don?t bother to do this.
With this in mind, it should be noted that training the consumer in more important that pointing a finger at big business. Subway has made every effort to advertise their low fat options and practices, McDonalds simply chooses to ignore health guidelines and continue to sell what made them famous. It is the responsibility of the consumer to make the right choice.
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