Many parts of the documentary had important messages that are most definitely accurate. There are elements that are questionable and possibly false. If Spurlock followed his set rules at the beginning of the documentary which included eating everything on the menu one, super sizing if asked to do so and finishing the entire meal it is possible that the fast food could have an impact on his body the way it did. I believe that the fast-food industry continues to grow because people continue to purchase it and are slowly becoming addicted and reliant on the sugars and fats. The most accurate statement that is made in the documentary would be the last omniscient quote "Who do you want to see go first, them or you?" (Spurlock). If people continue to eat unhealthy and constant fast-food meals, it will have dangerous affects on the body.
Were there any problems/issues with the documentary?
There were a few issues with the documentary which included the amount of sugar Spurlock consumed per day during his diet and his large claims of fast-food industries, especially McDonalds being the main contributor to the ever rising obesity epidemic. The documentary itself is quite persuasive and after watching many would never want to enter a fast-food restaurant again. It is unknown if the statistic and effects on his body were completely accurate.
Were there any factual fallacies with the documentary?
There were many factual fallacies throughout the entirety of the documentary. These include:
- No one has even been able to produce the same results from completing the exact same experiment. Although each human body differs in results, basic math can conclude that his diet could not possibly consist of 5,000 calories a day. Tom Naughton's Fat Head states that "there is simply no way Spurlock could have been eating that much food if he was sticking to his rules." This is corroborated by a study that was conducted in a Sweden University where healthy young adults attempted a diet that consisted of eating 6,000 calories of fast food per day. All students studied did not run into liver or cholesterol issues.
- Spurlock claims that fast food industries are one of the main factors contributing the obesity epidemic. Although, McDonald's is unhealthy there are many foods that eaten in masses can cause people to gain weight. Also, it is crucial that people take care of their body and exercise regularly in order to stay healthy.
Morgan Spurlock (Director):
Morgan Spurlock is an American documentary filmmaker. He is most commonly known for his Supersize Me which depicts a McDiet that consists of eating three meals a day without any other food source for thirty days. The film's aim was to prove that the fast-food industry is a main factor for the obesity epidemic within America and the world. It exploits the danger with large fast-food company advertising techniques e.g. toys, playgrounds, happy meals etc as this promotes the wrong message to young children. The techniques can also be seen when salads are advertised as "healthy", it is known that some with the amount of dressing can have more calories than a big mac.
His girlfriend at the time, Alex Jamieson was a vegan chef who was currently writing a cook book. This was a subtle use of self advertising.
Good documentaries:
- The Living Body - A documentary that examines the beauty and miracles performed by the human body from birth until death.
- Man on Wire -This documentary consists of a young, french man who walks on a wire between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in 1974.
Bad Documentaries:
- Waiting for "Superman" - A documentary created in hopes to improve the education system in America, but the content and statistic seem to not be researched and bias.
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