NationStates Jolt Archive

Has anyone else seen Super Size Me? It's an American documentary by Morgan Spurlock about the fast food industry in the U.S. For a whole month he eats nothing but McDonald's three times a day, and records his cholesterol and weight as they slowly climb. Though a little misleading, it's highly entertaining; I'd reccomend it to anybody who hasn't seen it. I'd like to get other people's opinions and views on the documentary, and perhaps some ideas on how to solve the dangerous weight problem America is suffering presently.

Exercise is the way to reduce the weight problem in the U.S. I remember reading in the paper a while ago that a study was done, and it determined that 1 additional hour of exercise in teenage girls would reduce female adolescent obesity by 50% or 75%, or some other insanely high percentage. Dieting kind of works, but the best way to reduce calories in the body is to use them as they're intended! Burn them! Use each one to produce the amount of heat required to heat one kilogramme of water one degree centigrade!

Exercise is the way to reduce the weight problem in the U.S. I remember reading in the paper a while ago that a study was done, and it determined that 1 additional hour of exercise in teenage girls would reduce female adolescent obesity by 50% or 75%, or some other insanely high percentage.
One additional hour....a day? A week? A month? Please be more specific. :)

Has anyone else seen Super Size Me? It's an American documentary by Morgan Spurlock about the fast food industry in the U.S. For a whole month he eats nothing but McDonald's three times a day, and records his cholesterol and weight as they slowly climb. Though a little misleading, it's highly entertaining; I'd reccomend it to anybody who hasn't seen it. I'd like to get other people's opinions and views on the documentary, and perhaps some ideas on how to solve the dangerous weight problem America is suffering presently.
A Dutch reported did the same thing in Holland. No problems there.

A Dutch reported did the same thing in Holland. No problems there.

smaller rations

Besides the fact that the circumstances of the film are highly non-realistic. No one eats only McDonalds. McDonalds, like all other things should be taken in moderation. And if someone fails to take something in moderation it clearly isn't the providers fault, it is theirs.

Besides the fact that the circumstances of the film are highly non-realistic. No one eats only McDonalds. McDonalds, like all other things should be taken in moderation. And if someone fails to take something in moderation it clearly isn't the providers fault, it is theirs.

The point of the film was not to prove there are health risks involved in eating a crappy diet (hopefully by now we all realise this), but rather to DISPROVE McDonalds' claims that their menu is a healthy one. They refused to admit that their food, and especially the practice of 'super sizing' poses a health risk, just like any other junk food. The film has been a stunning success...McDonalds introduced salads to their menus, and is cutting out the 'super size'. It's also done a good job of showing people that fast food is not food you can live on...it's junk food. It's amazing how many people still don't get that.

im not going to pay to watch some capitalist dipshit stuff his face and get fat, i can drive to a REAL mcdonalds and watch that shit for free

definitely an incredible movie. i agree that it's a bit unrealistic - it's a diet that just doesn't exist in reality - and as a result, a little misleading, but the looks on the doctor's faces as the protagonist kept going in for visits really did it for me. what that guy did to himself was as bad in 30 days as years of hard drinking, and before this there were frankly still doubts about all that in terms of nutrition.

after i watched it i was horrified, never wanted to eat mcdonalds again ... and my roommate looked over at me and said, "god, that made me want a big mac." he went out and got one. scary stuff. worth watching.

It is hilarious and yet also slightly disturbing.

The way to lose weight is to cut down on how much you eat, and eat less of the junk, as well as be more active. I've gone from (American sizings, sorry) size 16 to size 13 in about six months by not eating so much as I used too, and by being more active (I.E. playing with my little sisters instead of sitting on my butt watching anime or reading a book.) It works! Of course I still have a little ways to go, but it worked! And these weren't drastic changes, either. I just ate when I was hungry and stopped when I was full instead of eating because there was still food in front of me. And I learned that sometimes your stomache will gurgle at you when you're thirsty, as well as when you're hungry, so I started drinking more water. I've learned to recognize the difference between these two gurgles too. It's simple, and doesn't take very long.

The film has been a stunning success...McDonalds introduced salads to their menus,
McDonald's had salads on the menu years before SuperSize Me came out.

Aww man I thought it may have been the latest Michael Moore exercise video. "One two *chomp chomp*, three four *sip BURP*..."

McDonald's had salads on the menu years before SuperSize Me came out.
yeah they have had those on their menus constantly for a long time, all this suceeded in doing is getting the super size taken off the menu and introducred more healthy bullshit no one will buy

I almost get a tinge of an attempt to be Michael Moore from this film, the fat part that is.

It's no rumor.

The cost of the soda and fries vs what they sell it for? Vastly higher profit margin then the burgers.

Don't think your strategy will hurt them much. Far too many children and women are addicted to french fries!

The reason americas got health and weight problems is they do massive portions of everything full of fat. The other problem is that you dont bother exercising you just sit on your ass watchin other people play sport instead of getting up and tryin out different sports. I dont like football(soocer if your americn) so iwent out and started playin rugby its great. So baisiclly GET SOME EXERCISE

do stuff in moderation and these problems are easily avoided...a lesson I should learn.

Of course if you eat just fast food for a month you get health problems. You get health problems. You'd get health problems if you ate exclusively any type of food for a month. The Germans proved that with carrots in WW2.

McDonald's had salads on the menu years before SuperSize Me came out.
Exactly. Every Big Mac has salad on it.

Has anyone else seen Super Size Me? It's an American documentary by Morgan Spurlock about the fast food industry in the U.S. For a whole month he eats nothing but McDonald's three times a day, and records his cholesterol and weight as they slowly climb. Though a little misleading, it's highly entertaining; I'd reccomend it to anybody who hasn't seen it. I'd like to get other people's opinions and views on the documentary, and perhaps some ideas on how to solve the dangerous weight problem America is suffering presently.
:D I saw some pieces of it. I also saw other shows on TV about fatness among Americans. Quit funny.

The reason americas got health and weight problems is they do massive portions of everything full of fat. The other problem is that you dont bother exercising you just sit on your ass watchin other people play sport instead of getting up and tryin out different sports. I dont like football(soocer if your americn) so iwent out and started playin rugby its great. So baisiclly GET SOME EXERCISE
Way to generalize ass lol (that’s all ya are going to get from me … a non overweight person that happens to live on a farm) I would love to see you try and keep up with someone like my bro or dad … working about 16 hrs a day (on top of collage for my bro)
All physical labor (btw they hate sports)

I haven’t seen them inside for more then an hr a night before they catch sleep … you probably cant say the same

Way to generalize ass lol (that’s all ya are going to get from me … a non overweight person that happens to live on a farm) I would love to see you try and keep up with someone like my bro or dad … working about 16 hrs a day (on top of collage for my bro)
All physical labor (btw they hate sports)

I haven’t seen them inside for more then an hr a night before they catch sleep … you probably cant say the same
Whats a collage? And Ass lol?

The point of the film was not to prove there are health risks involved in eating a crappy diet (hopefully by now we all realise this), but rather to DISPROVE McDonalds' claims that their menu is a healthy one. They refused to admit that their food, and especially the practice of 'super sizing' poses a health risk, just like any other junk food. The film has been a stunning success...McDonalds introduced salads to their menus, and is cutting out the 'super size'. It's also done a good job of showing people that fast food is not food you can live on...it's junk food. It's amazing how many people still don't get that.
Lol they got rid of supersizing and introduced just a normal "large" and moved it down

Exact same size as the super sized ;) lol

(and you got to look at different parts of the country) up here (before all the name changing) our supersize was the same as a large when I went to st louis

same with pop ... down there the super sized pop is 14 oz more then ours in minnesota ... so it really isent a standard

I like Wendy's better.

Lol they got rid of supersizing and introduced just a normal "large" and moved it down

Exact same size as the super sized ;) lol

They always had a "Large". It's also quite a bit smaller than the supersize.

They always had a "Large". It's also quite a bit smaller than the supersize.
Not anymore take a look

They made a super size a large

A large a medium
A medium a small

(actually they might not have had a medium)

At least in Minnesota

You could eat McDonald's for a month and suffer no ill effects whatsoever. The secret is to eat smaller portions, don't gorge yourself. If you exercise daily, McDonalds can actually help you gain muscle mass. During college I almost lived in McDonalds (ate there sometimes 16+ times a week). I lifted weights and ran everyday, gained 25 lbs of muscle mass in my Freshman year and made the starting football team next year. At 6'1" (4% BF) 225lbs McDonalds done me good.

You could eat McDonald's for a month and suffer no ill effects whatsoever. The secret is to eat smaller portions, don't gorge yourself. If you exercise daily, McDonalds can actually help you gain muscle mass. During college I almost lived in McDonalds (ate there sometimes 16+ times a week). I lifted weights and ran everyday, gained 25 lbs of muscle mass in my Freshman year and made the starting football team next year. At 6'1" (4% BF) 225lbs McDonalds done me good.
As unhealthy as the food is I can see that … very high protein diet so … if ya did get enough exercise the muscle building process would have enough protein …

Not anymore take a look

They made a super size a large

A large a medium
A medium a small

(actually they might not have had a medium)

At least in Minnesota
Not where I live. They had "Small", "Medium", "Large", and "Super-Size".

You could eat McDonald's for a month and suffer no ill effects whatsoever. The secret is to eat smaller portions, don't gorge yourself. If you exercise daily, McDonalds can actually help you gain muscle mass. During college I almost lived in McDonalds (ate there sometimes 16+ times a week). I lifted weights and ran everyday, gained 25 lbs of muscle mass in my Freshman year and made the starting football team next year. At 6'1" (4% BF) 225lbs McDonalds done me good.
Yeah. Not immedialty. But in the long run you'd probably get some effects of that balanced diet. But I did the same when I still went Thay Boxing 3, 4 times a week. I was trying to gain weight. Didn't realy work.

Not where I live. They had "Small", "Medium", "Large", and "Super-Size".
Hmmm wierd ... though our supersize was always smaller then the ones down south so ... I dont know bout the rest of the country

The problem with todays society is that like everyone says no one is exercising. People sit at home and watch tv, play games, internet, etc. But it doesn't matter how much you eat, its about the ratio of how much you eat to the amount of energy you use. I personally am agaist all fast food and only resort to it if i have a limited amount of money and the stores are closed.

The problem with todays society is that like everyone says no one is exercising. People sit at home and watch tv, play games, internet, etc.
What if you play sportgames?

What if you play sportgames?
what about it?

i should have said most not just refer to people as a whole.

what about it?

i should have said most not just refer to people as a whole.
Well, sportgames are high energetic games. I've got the blisters on my thumbs to proof that. ;)

I saw the movie, and found it entertaining - some parts are even hilarious - but too moralistic in tone. There's something like: being fat is baaad. It's no good making fat people guilty, they often already have a low self esteem anyway, and feeling guilty about food will only worsen the problem. What's more, the guy's girlfriend is a vegan chef if I remember well, and he strongly suggest vegan food is the healthy one. Which is simply not true: the human body needs animal proteins; vegetal proteins just don't do it.

I saw the movie, and found it entertaining - some parts are even hilarious - but too moralistic in tone. There's something like: being fat is baaad. It's no good making fat people guilty, they often already have a low self esteem anyway, and feeling guilty about food will only worsen the problem. What's more, the guy's girlfriend is a vegan chef if I remember well, and he strongly suggest vegan food is the healthy one. Which is simply not true: the human body needs animal proteins; vegetal proteins just don't do it.
i will get back to you with more proof, but it has been proven time again that the human body was not ment to eat flesh, our bodies are designed to be herbivores not carnivores. From the make up of our stomach acids and digestive track to the formation of our teeth. i will agree that our body can only get certain proteins from flesh but it will survive perfectly healthy with the balanced vegan diet.

i will get back to you with more proof, but it has been proven time again that the human body was not ment to eat flesh, our bodies are designed to be herbivores not carnivores. From the make up of our stomach acids and digestive track to the formation of our teeth. i will agree that our body can only get certain proteins from flesh but it will survive perfectly healthy with the balanced vegan diet.
I think our bodies were designed for both. Look at your teeth.

I found "Super-Size Me" very interesting, but I have to admit that it irritated me in a lot of the same ways that the Micheal Moore 'documentaries' did. There's an old quote I remember (though I'm not entirely sure who it originally came from, if anyone recognizes it I'd love to find the source) that goes along the lines of 'My greatest detractors are the idiots who agree with me.' That's a little harsher than I might phrase my sentiments, but I think it captures the essence of my feelings nicely.

Although I agree with the message of both 'Super-Size Me' and 'Bowling for Columbine' (I won't talk about 'Farenheit 9/11', since that would probably push this thread off onto a tangent. ;)) I have to take offense at the manner in which they are presented. Both have a tendency to juxtapose data, omit relevant details, or phrase information in a sensationalist manner that can obscure or alter it's true meaning and relevence. I find this especially frustrating since both cases have large pools of very accurate and telling (though perhaps less exciting) information backing them up, meaning there shouldn't be any need for verbal 'sleight-of-hand'.

Of the two, 'Super-Size Me' is probably the worse offender in it's 'pseudo-scientific' approach. It attempts to take on the guise and trappings of an actual scientific inquiry, without using any of the tenants of scientific method that ensure the data produced is relevant and meaningful. The largest single example I'll point out is that in the 'month' being documented, two variables were being simultaneously tested - not simply the one variable of a 'McDonalds' diet. Note that in the film he also mentions he will adopt the "typical american lifestyle" and stop exercizing and walking to work every day. The problem with this approach is that any time you have two or more unknown factors in an experiment, it strips the meaning away from any results you might recieve. Since both are unknown, you have no idea whether any effect you note is the result of a) the first variable, b) the second variable, or c) some interaction between the two variables; and thus can't really establish any meaningful cause and effect.

The general effect of lack of exercise has been studied extensively independantly though, and when you bear in mind that he is also switching from an active lifestyle containing regular exercise to state of almost total non-activity, a lot of the effects he experiences come into a new light. As most people who do work out regularly will probably tell you, whenever they miss a span of their regular gym-time the start to feel slightly depressed or under the weather. This is a natural effect of the body preparing itself for a regular part of its lifestyle that is suddenly removed, leading to a slight hormonal imbalance until equilibrium is restored. Also, it is widely known that fat weighs nearly twice as much as muscle. Since muscle is converted to fat during periods of inactivity as the muscle atrophies, thus it would be expected that he would experience a sudden weight gain roughly equal to his current muscle mass before the start of the experiment. This is a frequent occurance among football players, weightlifters, and most all athletes when they go into retirement: nothing 'new' is really being added to their bodies, but they experience an increase of weight from the conversion of one tissue to the other.

There are a lot of other examples of this sort of thing, but I'm not going to sit and pick apart the movie, because it is, all things considered, a good movie to watch. Just be careful about what information you take out of it, and try and view it with a critical eye. (As I'm sure you view everything. ;)

Originally Posted by The True Right
During college I almost lived in McDonalds (ate there sometimes 16+ times a week). I lifted weights and ran everyday, gained 25 lbs of muscle mass in my Freshman year and made the starting football team next year. At 6'1" (4% BF) 225lbs McDonalds done me good.

Bear in mind, a large number of males can experience explosive growth in weight and muscle mass during this period, regardless of any changes in diet.

I have no source for that (and I am lazy to search), but I have the notion vegans are suffering severe carencies, especially children of vegan parents...
I don't mean one must absolutely eat meat; vegetarians find animal proteins in eggs and milk or cheese, while vegans eat no animal products at all, and I can't imagine this can be healthy... Anyway, anyone with a serious study will be welcome to prove me wrong.

I think our bodies were designed for both. Look at your teeth.
http://articles.animalconcerns.org/ar-voices/archive/omnivores.html

go here and read, if you would like a quick solution to it, go to the bottom of the page and it has a summary, why humans are suppose to be veggie eaters.

lol i don't really care what we are suppose to be. i love going to outback and ordering a nice thick steak.

http://articles.animalconcerns.org/ar-voices/archive/omnivores.html

go here and read, if you would like a quick solution to it, go to the bottom of the page and it has a summary, why humans are suppose to be veggie eaters.
Sorry. But an animal rights organisation is not the best way to convert an avid meat eater like myself. *sinks his teeth into juicy sausage*

A guy in New Zealand did the same thing adn managed to lose weight. Besides the guy in Super size me just went nuts and ate all the most unhealthy things on the menu after he had tried everything once. and the excessive coke consumption may have also had something to do with teh resultant health problems.

http://articles.animalconcerns.org/ar-voices/archive/omnivores.html

go here and read, if you would like a quick solution to it, go to the bottom of the page and it has a summary, why humans are suppose to be veggie eaters.

He makes several incorrect claims and assumptions in that article (the length of a human intestinal track, diets of other simian species, etc) which I won't go into detail about here. Also, if you look up the author of the article, you'll find that while he is a Medical Doctor, he is a general physician and not a dietary expert or gastrointestinologist, nor is he a comparative biologist. The fact that he is also the co-chair of a front group for PETA may or may not be relevant. Try reading some of this information.

http://www.theomnivore.com/vegetarianism.html

http://www.emagazine.com/view/?143

http://www.westonaprice.org/myths_truths/myths_truths_vegetarianism.html

Besides the fact that the circumstances of the film are highly non-realistic. No one eats only McDonalds. McDonalds, like all other things should be taken in moderation. And if someone fails to take something in moderation it clearly isn't the providers fault, it is theirs.
True, but some people live on a diet of mainly fast food with very few healthy meals thrown in. Of course they eat a variety of fast food. McDonalds, Burger King, Wendys, KFC, etc.

Exactly. Every Big Mac has salad on it.
With thousand island dressing as well.

I saw it and I'd hated McDonalds before I saw it, so it had little effect on me. Good documentary though, and even though it was unrealistic, I know plenty of people that eat fast food 3 or 4 times a week and that most certanly wouldn't be healthy for you. I agree moderation, diet and exercise are solutions, although them seem almost too simple for this growing problem.

I think our bodies were designed for both.

Designed by whom?

I have no source for that (and I am lazy to search), but I have the notion vegans are suffering severe carencies, especially children of vegan parents...
I don't mean one must absolutely eat meat; vegetarians find animal proteins in eggs and milk or cheese, while vegans eat no animal products at all, and I can't imagine this can be healthy... Anyway, anyone with a serious study will be welcome to prove me wrong.

What are 'carencies'?

***

A vegan diet has been shown multiple times to be able to supply everything the human body needs to support itself: vitamin B12 is the only real problem, but non-animal sources are available. I strongly recommend that those living on a vegan diet take a vitamin supplement which supplies B12 - defficiencies in it lead to sluggishness, lack of energy, anaemia and other less desireable side effects.

I, myself, have been living on a vegan diet for over 15 years, and the only ill effect I have ever suffered as a result has been a lack of energy when I haven't kept up with the B12 supplements.

Information for them what are interested:
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/food/nutrition/b12/

Bear in mind, a large number of males can experience explosive growth in weight and muscle mass during this period, regardless of any changes in diet.

Well I had already stopped growing as I was in College. You only get explosive growth at that age by consuming protein and working out hard. If I would have just stuck to the cafeteria foods, I wouln't have had the muscle mass growth.

Well I had already stopped growing as I was in College. You only get explosive growth at that age by consuming protein and working out hard. If I would have just stuck to the cafeteria foods, I wouln't have had the muscle mass growth.

There are multiple stages of 'growth' in adult development, the first one (which I assume you are referring to) occurs at the onset of puberty, and lasts through the teenage years. This is generally where people grow taller, develop secondary sex characteristics, etc. What a lot of people don't realize is that a second period of growth then occurs a few years after the end of the first, the main visible symptom of which is a sudden growth in body mass. Because this second phase is not accompanied by any change in height, or by any of the other more readily visible symptoms associated with the first, it tends to go unnoticed or be assigned to other causes.

Regardless of what this movie says...

McDonald's saved my life!

I used to weigh 220lbs. yet, existing on a diet made solely of vodka and McChickens, I now weigh 155lbs. I ate one McChicken for each meal (sometimes light on the mayo) and a cup of water. Then "before bed" I drank about 1/4 bottle of Vodka. This worked very well for me and over the course of about 4 months I lost about 65-70lbs.

True story.

Well I had already stopped growing as I was in College. You only get explosive growth at that age by consuming protein and working out hard. If I would have just stuck to the cafeteria foods, I wouln't have had the muscle mass growth.
Not necessary I had a friend put on 75 pounds and grow almost 7 inches after age 20

Not the norm but it can happen … did so with his dad too