Have you seen the documentary "Supersize Me"?

Synopsis for those who haven’t seen in.

What do you think of it?

I found much of interesting, especially the physical and medical changes (for the worse) his previously-healthy body underwent in just 30 days, especially the effect it had on his liver, so similar to a heavy drinker.

The willingness of people to be mindlessly manipulated into eating far more than is healthy was fascinating, too. But that doesn’t explain how those same people have obese infants and toddlers too. Those children aren’t making those choices. Those choices are being made for them.

But did anyone think any thing other than what happened would happen when he started eating like a pig? IMO, if he had continued eating the normal amount of food he ate, while still eating at McD’s every single day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, I don’t think much of anything would have happened. But he busted out into pigging out on double and triple Quarterpounders with cheese, focusing on the most fattening foods on the menu, and supersized fries and cokes and shit, and forced himself to eat it all. It was really gross. It’s not surprising that he gained 10 pounds in those 4 weeks. I’m surprised he didn’t gain more. The other physical changes he underwent (running into trouble sexually, for example) were interesting, though.

Two other things I found interesting, and that is today smoking and obesity are the #1 and #2 causes of preventable deaths. Smokers and fat people both cost society a lot of money in a lot of ways. However, people feel perfectly justified in chastising smokers, but chastising an obese person is a no no. What is the difference?

The other thing was they featured a couple of schools that dropped all sugary pops and junk food from the building. No chips or pop or candy in the vending machines or for lunch. That is a fantastic idea, IMO, especially today. I teach and today the kids are allowed, even encouraged to eat in class, and some of them just munch on chips all day long. Of course, those are the obese kids. I’m all for the schools changing their food options. The kids can’t munch on chips all day long if they aren’t available.

An aside: As some of you know I have been counting calories for 30+ years. I do it almost instinctively now. One of the people they touched on was this guy who ate 2 to 4 Big Macs every single day of his life because he loves them. He was really tall, about 6’ 4”, and Rick commented on the fact that he wasn’t overweight, either.
Without even thinking about it I said, “Well, a Big Mac has fewer calories than 2 cheeseburgers have, and 2 cheeseburgers wouldn’t be over much for a guy his size.”
Rick looked at me skeptically and I realized I had just made a quick estimated guess based on experience so I Googled it. I was right. 2 cheeseburgers = 600 calories. 1 Big Mac = 560 calories.

Your thoughts?