Super Size Me

We finally watched Super Size Me.  It was released in 2004, so it's interesting to see how things have changed.  And how they haven't. 

In the documentary, Morgan Spurlock documents his 30 day challenge--he eats McDonalds.  Only.  Three times a day.  Anytime the McDonalds employee asked if he wanted to supersize it, he said yes; he did not supersize at any other time.  He starts off with medical evaluations and he's in good health.  As the doctors monitor him, there comes a point where my husband says "why doesn't he just stop?"  Morgan talks about the marketing and health issues and it is a very interesting film, even after all this time.  Although they deny it was due to the film's premier at Sundance, McDonalds stopped their supersize campaign shortly afterwards.

There are a lot of interesting facts throughout the movie.  At the end, the movie explains that he gained almost 25 pounds; it took him 5 months to lose 20 pounds, and 9 months to lose the rest.  There are criticisms of the movie's methodology, but I think his point was made.  Americans eat at McDonalds (and other fast food restaurants) much more than a nutritionist would recommend.  The criticism suggesting that he ate more calories than a typical eater seems disingenious to me.  I really don't see "the McDonalds public" counting calories or considering any nutritional content at these restaurants.  There is sugar in almost every food product they sell--and we're addicted.  America loves it.

Personally, I rarely go to McDonalds.  I like some of their food when I go.  But I know that it's not healthy.  It doesn't make me feel good.  I don't look at anything on their menu and think that it's any healthier than anything else.  The salads have more calories than the burgers, the dressings and ketchup have high fructose corn syrup, the grilled chicken somehow ends up worse than the breaded.  I find that I'm better off just accepting that it's a treat, for the rare times I end up there.