Super Size Me

Super Size Me is a documentary film that explores the effects of fast food on physical and mental health, featuring Morgan Spurlock as he eats only McDonald's food for 30 days, under the guidance of Dr. Lisa Ganjhu, Dr. Daryl Isaacs, and Dr. Stephen Siegel. The film also features interviews with experts such as Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, and Marion Nestle, a professor at New York University. Additionally, Spurlock consults with Dr. Alexandra Johnstone and Dr. David Allison to monitor his health throughout the experiment.

Introduction

The documentary film Super Size Me was released in 2004, directed by Morgan Spurlock and produced by Morgan Spurlock and Stacey Offman, with the support of The Weinstein Company and Showtime Independent Films. The idea for the film was inspired by the increasing rates of obesity in the United States, particularly among children, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and studied by researchers at Harvard University and Stanford University. The film features interviews with experts such as Dr. Kelly Brownell, a professor at Yale University, and Dr. Walter Willett, a professor at Harvard School of Public Health, who discuss the link between fast food and obesity. Furthermore, Spurlock also consults with Dr. Marion Nestle, a professor at New York University, and Dr. Michael Jacobson, the director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Production

The production of Super Size Me involved a team of filmmakers, including Morgan Spurlock, Stacey Offman, and Joe Gorman, who worked together to create a documentary that would explore the effects of fast food on physical and mental health. The film was shot on location in New York City, with Spurlock eating only McDonald's food for 30 days, under the guidance of Dr. Lisa Ganjhu and Dr. Daryl Isaacs. The film also features interviews with experts such as Dr. David Kessler, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and Dr. Margo Wootan, the director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Additionally, the film crew visited McDonald's restaurants in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami, to document the marketing and production of fast food. The film's production team also collaborated with researchers at Columbia University and University of California, Los Angeles to analyze the nutritional content of McDonald's menu items.

Plot

The plot of Super Size Me follows Morgan Spurlock as he eats only McDonald's food for 30 days, with a daily limit of 5,000 calories, under the guidance of Dr. Lisa Ganjhu and Dr. Daryl Isaacs. The film documents Spurlock's physical and mental health, as he experiences weight gain, mood swings, and other health problems, which are monitored by Dr. Stephen Siegel and Dr. Alexandra Johnstone. The film also features interviews with experts such as Dr. Robert Lustig, a professor at University of California, San Francisco, and Dr. Deborah Cohen, a researcher at RAND Corporation, who discuss the link between fast food and obesity. Furthermore, the film explores the marketing and production of fast food, featuring interviews with Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, and Marion Nestle, a professor at New York University. The film also visits McDonald's restaurants in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami, to document the impact of fast food on local communities, with the support of researchers at University of Illinois at Chicago and University of Southern California.

Impact

The release of Super Size Me had a significant impact on the fast food industry, with McDonald's announcing the discontinuation of their Super Size option, under pressure from consumer advocacy groups such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest and Public Health Advocacy Institute. The film also inspired a national debate about the link between fast food and obesity, with experts such as Dr. Kelly Brownell and Dr. Walter Willett calling for greater regulation of the food industry. Additionally, the film's success led to the creation of other documentaries and films exploring the topic of food politics, such as Food, Inc. and The Biggest Little Farm, with the support of organizations such as the National Institutes of Health and The Pew Charitable Trusts. The film's impact was also felt in the education sector, with schools and universities incorporating the film into their curricula, with the support of institutions such as Harvard University and Stanford University.

Reception

The reception of Super Size Me was largely positive, with the film receiving critical acclaim from film critics such as Roger Ebert and Peter Travers. The film won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, with the support of organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts and The Ford Foundation. The film was also a commercial success, grossing over $29 million at the box office, with the support of distributors such as The Weinstein Company and Showtime Independent Films. Additionally, the film's success led to the creation of a sequel, Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!, which was released in 2017, with the support of organizations such as the American Heart Association and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The film's reception was also influenced by the work of researchers at University of California, Berkeley and University of Michigan, who studied the impact of fast food on public health. Category:Documentary films