There is a new documentary in the works, and it has certainly captured my attention. Executive produced by Katie Couric and directed by Stephanie Soechtig, the film “Fed Up” explores the American obesity epidemic, specifically focusing on sugar. However, the film differentiates itself from other books, movies, television specials that focus on sugar in one big way: In addition to railing on sugar as the cause of obesity, “Fed Up” focuses on the fact that skinny is not a sign of healthy.
It’s about time.
I’m so glad that we are finally having a conversation around the fact that someone can thin but still have as much internal body fat as a morbidly obese person. In recent years, emerging research has shown that just because a person is skinny it does not mean that they are healthy. People of average weight can suffer from type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions once thought to be associated with only obese individuals. Weight may not be the driver behind this, but body fat that comes from foods loaded with sugar most certainly is, according to “Fed Up”.
The film attacks sugar pretty seriously, even referring to it as the “new tobacco,” and blaming the food industry and the government as the biggest pushers of the substance. Fed Up focuses on the importance of not blaming children for the fact that they are obese, but rather the marketing that has pushed our country into a sugar induced epidemic.
The documentary brings to light very important and life-threatening issues within our country. And it doesn’t give much of anyone an out: The film criticizes Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and plenty of big food companies that produce some of the biggest contributors to the issue (like Coca Cola).
Food and nutrition experts Michael Pollan, Marion Nestle, and David Ludwig are all interviewed, bringing more perspective to the conversation. The hardest part to watch, was the filming of numerous children who are struggling with obesity.
The documentary was released in May and can be seen at independent movie theaters around the country.
Also Read:
Michelle Obama’s Childhood Obesity Initiative