`Supersize Me` directed by Morgan Spurlock

Super Size Me

The movie starred and was directed by independent filmmaker Morgan Spurlock . Spurlock undertakes to explain the rampant obesity in America as a function largely of overdependence on convenience food and dining in quick-service restaurant chains

Spurlock strove to make his point by undertaking to consume only McDonald 's products for a whole month . His stated goal was to investigate the impact of fast food , of which McDonald 's is the archetype , on the epidemic of obesity (and associated diseases such as hypertension and diabetes ) plaguing America . Prior to

starting the experiment , Spurlock was physically fit but in the end , he had gained considerable weight and was showing early signs of health problems . The film presented its thesis in stark fashion : eat excessive fast food , get sick

Super Size Me ' employs the documentary format that The Blair Witch Project ' and March of the Penguins ' made famous . Basically , a camera followed Spurlock around wherever he went , chronicling his activities and feelings every so often . The film followed a chronological format that showed Spurlock 's descent from fit and bright-eyed to miserable and overweight . Also included were interviews with nutritionists , doctors and other people who helped shed light on the question Why is America obese

The device of eating nothing but fast food may seem unrealistic . Or perhaps not how many of us would rationally avoid convenience foods if there was no one to cook breakfast or dinner ? Do parents know what children eat all day long when they are away at college

Spoofing the fast food habit this way does serve to compress the timeframe , create shock value and teach by entertaining . One doubts that the audience would be as attentive if a physician had delivered a lecture on video about the ill effects of eating fast food for 20 or 30 years

Spurlock essentially consumed over 5 ,000 calories per day of nothing but obviously fattening McDonald 's staples : Big Mac 's , French fries and soda . In his defense , Spurlock said he was mimicking the diet of a super-heavy user , Marketing lingo for an avid patron . At the same time , Spurlock satirized the slothful habits of many Americans who do not care to exercise . Even if they did not consume McDonald 's foods in the amounts he did , it is unlikely that they eat a balanced nutrition-dense diet anyway

Despite the criticism level against it , Super Size Me ' remains shocking and relevant . Millions of Americans are undoubtedly `addicted to a diet of fast food that contains unhealthy levels of sugar and cholesterol . As shown by Spurlock 's own transformation , such relaxed eating compounds the problem by lowering the desire to exercise and be active

Naturally , the most shocking scene in the movie is when a complete physical examination reveals the extent of his physical deterioration

The domino effect does not stop there . Obesity and lack of activity causes numerous health problems such as heart disease and diabetes Already , a largely overweight generation of baby boomers ' has begun to...