Super-Size Me

"Super Size Me”



Morgan Spurlock was in healthy physical and mental condition before he chanced an experiment that damaged his liver and made him tired, depressed and overweight within one month. Spurlock did not drink booze the way an alcoholic would. In fact he did not drink at all. He wanted to investigate the effects of fast foods so he designed a plan to eat McDonalds fast foods at every meal for one month, but the venture after time proved to be damaging. He gained weight. His blood pressure increased and his liver showed results similar to the damage often created by alcohol binges. "Super Size Me," was not just a documentary about McDonalds or the hazardous repercussions of high-calorie, high-fat, high-sugar diets. The movie was a plee to the average consumer that says: when it comes to your body handle with care.

A McDonalds lunch endangers all aspects of an eaters life, including the heart, the internal organs, the body, and total mental well-being. It is one of the many reasons why Americans are getting fatter, putting consumers at prolonged risks for preventive diseases associated with weight gain, hypertension, gall bladder diseases, liver dysfunctions, abnormal glucose functions, and heart disease.

Morgan Spurlock stands at 6-foot 2-inches. Before his first McDonalds meal he weighed 185 pounds, was 38 centimeters wide, had 11 percent body fat and a maintained a hearty BMI. Before his food binge of McDonalds for one month he ate whole, healthful meals, walked miles around New York City, and exercised regularly. Baseline test results showed low blood sugar, a healthy cholesterol level of 168, good iron and electrolytes count, and a low triglycerides level. His general health was outstanding. He was active, fit and he ate well. He felt fully alive and in good spirits. But after his first weigh in (a little over a week of McDonalds foods) he gained 10 pounds, 5 percent of his total body fat. At the second weigh in he gained 10 percent of his body fat, weighing 203 pounds in just 12 days. And then he accumulated 35 pounds in one month, standing at 210 pounds at the end of the experiment. After just four weeks of McDonalds his cholesterol went up 64 points, he had a fatty liver, developed mood swings that were associated with his developing cravings for the foods he was eating, experienced headaches and became exhausted and depressed. Even the salads at McDonalds are high in carbohydrates. Almost all of the nutritionists he spoke with said consumers should not eat fast foods. By day 3 Spurlock vomited his dinner and his stomach felt ill. By day 17 he felt horrible and unmotivated. At day 21 he woke and could not breathe. He felt hot and was having heart palpitations. Doctors recommended he end the diet because of the damage it caused his liver. By the end of the experiment the results were clear: fast food is dangerous.

Since 1980 the amount of overweight people in the US has doubled, averaging almost 100,000,000 Americans that are obese. Media entertainment supports inactivity and food companies that do not supply consumers with nutritious (fast-foods among them all) advertising their products everywhere, and obesity is rising. Obesity is not only a concern it is becoming an epidemic. McDonalds serves 43 percent of the fast food market. There are more McDonalds in Manhattan than any other food chain, serving 83 stores. Serving sizes are not just large, a Super Sized meal is extra-extra large and diners of McDonalds consume more unhealthy calories than any other fast food restaurant. McDonalds appeals to kids offering a play area, toys and happy meals and the clown logo. What they do not offer is a wholesome meal in return. If weight trends persist 1 out of 4 kids will eventually develop diabetes.

The amount of overweight children has doubled in numbers in the past 20-25 years. Kids see more advertisements for bad foods than anyone else, and they develop unhealthy eating habits because of it. There is sugar on TV, sweetened beverages and snacks at school, and high fat fast food chains that all target kids for their products. Bad habits today continue tomorrow and kids are at risk for becoming sick, fat, inactive adults.

After a couple of weeks of eating McDonalds Morgan Spurlock's medical doctor told him test results for his liver showed that he was "sick." He did not need the doctor to give his liver results, he felt sick. He had mood swings and was exhausted. He experienced heart palpitations. McDonalds boasts that they serve 46 million people, but do not account for all the health risks that come with eating there foods. There is no food label that states burgers and fries, chicken nuggets and a milk shake if over-eaten will lead to damages to the heart, liver and blood. In fact Spurlock could not find a nutrition label at all in most of the McDonalds he visited.

The experiment was held. The evidence is clear. Do not eat fast foods.