Last weekend I saw a movie that broke my heart.
Fed Up, a new movie produced by Katie Couric and Laurie David (producer of the Oscar-winning documentary “An Inconvenient Truth”), aims to finally tell the truth about our messed up food system and how it is linked to the obesity epidemic. In it, we learn that food company lobbyists have been feeding our government misinformation, leading to food policies that are ruining our health.
The most troubling part of the movie is a glimpse into the lives of overweight teenagers, trying to deal with their problem through conventional “diet and exercise” methods. It just doesn’t work and by the end of the movie, we understand why. Sugar, added to 80% of the products on grocery store shelves (and prevalent in most fast food, school and restaurant meals), is the primary culprit.
But the forces behind all that added sugar in our food is what should really make us FED UP.
RELATED: How to Buy Healthy Food On a Budget
Top 10 reasons to see the movie Fed Up:
1. Everything you’ve been told about food and exercise for the past 30 years is wrong. What we’re told: a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. Truth: 150 calories of almonds behave very differently in your body than 150 calories of soda. Because of that, calorie reduction and exercise does not always equal weight loss.
2. You don’t have a clue how much sugar you are eating. Hint: one sweetened yogurt has more sugar than you should have in a day.
3. Ingredient lists are tricking you. Sugar is hiding under 56 different names on ingredient labels.
4. Lobbyists are fighting against you. Due to lobbying efforts, sugar is not listed with a daily recommendation percentage on packaging. This is just one of many ways lobbyists for Big Food and Big Ag have influenced U.S. dietary guidelines.
5. Your government is subsidizing the obesity epidemic. Government subsidies of corn based sweeteners have amounted to over $8 billion since 1995.
6. Your child is likely eating fast food for school lunch. In 2012, over half of all U.S. school districts served fast food.
7. Your child is being bombarded with ads for junk food. Children’s exposure to junk food ads increased 60% from 2008 to 2010 alone.
8. There’s a good chance you or your kids will be overweight or obese. Two thirds of Americans were overweight or obese in 2010 and at our current rate, 95% of Americans will be so within 2 decades.
9. Even if you think you are healthy, you might be TOFI. Thin on the outside, fat on the inside. Layers of fat around internal organs can lead to the same adverse health effects as obesity, including diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
10. Your medical costs are impacted by the obesity epidemic. Bariatric surgeries, at $10,000 per pop, have increased over 5 times since 2001. Not to mention the cost of treating diabetes. Type 2 diabetes used to be unheard of in kids, but now is quite common.
The movie Fed Up broke my heart, not because of how these things effect me or my family, but because of all the children out there who are not so lucky to have the money, resources and education to help them navigate this mess.
In our home, we are very conscious of how we eat. We can afford to buy fresh, organic, unprocessed food. We have the time to cook healthy meals. We teach our kids about healthy choices and how to cook for themselves. But not all children have these advantages. As we see in the movie, it is extremely hard to break away from processed, sugar-laden foods. It is extremely hard to lose weight and stay healthy when sugary foods are all around us. Sugar is more addictive than cocaine. We need an intervention.
And by the way, food industry lobbyists are spending big money to try to discredit this film. We can’t let industry get away with this crap.
Are you FED UP with our food system?
You can take action in a few ways:
- Ask your government representatives to support new taxes on soda and other sugary drinks.
- Contact your school or district about improving your school’s nutrition policies.
- Take the Fed Up Challenge – go sugar free for 10 days!
Rent the movie Fed Up on Amazon!
Leigh says
You are so lucky you got to see the movie I missed its short showing here. When I was pregnant with my second I was borderline with gestational diabetes. I was told to just watch my diet closely. I read labels before but I REALLY read labels then, that is when I really learned about our sugar epidemic. It is a real issue I am so happy there is a movie out there that talks about it.
Micaela says
It’s so true Leigh – people just don’t have a clue how much sugar they eat on a regular basis. Hopefully, this movie will raise awareness of the issue.
Lindsay says
What a great article Micaela, I really want to see this film. I will share on social media. I can’t believe where sugar is hiding, your yogurt example is illuminating.
Micaela says
Yeah – I was surprised about the yogurt too. I don’t feel like I eat much sugar but I do eat yogurt at least a couple times a week. Time for a change?
Lorna says
I was lucky enough to be on vacation in NYC last week, so my husband & I sought out the AMC theatre on 42nd St. for the 8:20 pm showing on Friday. We were disappointed to be sharing the house with only about 15 others!! I consider myself to be among the “converted”, but my eyes were further opened. I was particularly surprised at the skim milk story- who knew that our cheese glut began because of the popularity of skim milk? Each of us needs to take another to this movie! I’m wondering if it will show here in Nova Scotia!?
Micaela says
Lorna – When I saw Fed Up in Minneapolis, it was a full house! Sad that only 15 people came out in NYC.
Lori Popkewitz Alper says
I have a half hour left to go in the movie- thanks to spring sports I can’t seem to fit it in! I’m watching it with my oldest son and we’ve had some pretty intense discussions about the findings. I’ve always believed that sugar was addictive. It really hit home when the movie revealed rats chose sugar over heroine. Frightening stuff on so many levels.
Micaela says
Lori – I would really like to watch Fed Up with my boys. I think they would learn a TON. They love their sweets and I don’t want to deny them – but I want them to understand how they may be tricked into eating more sugar than they think.
Betsy (Eco-novice) says
I am keenly aware of these issues. The statistic is 1 in every 2 Hispanic kids and my kids are Hispanic. My FIL has type 2 diabetes even though he only immigrated to the US as an adult. I tell my kids if they eat too much sugar they will have to give themselves shots when they are older. Sort of true : ) Can’t WAIT to watch this with the hubs.
Micaela says
Wow Betsy – sounds like these issues are really hitting home for you. Your kids are lucky to have you looking out for them!