I am livid after watching Fed Up, the documentary narrated by Katie Couric and billed as “the film the food industry doesn’t want you to see.”
GO SEE IT.
You see, it seems that soda is the new cigarette. That sugar is MORE ADDICTIVE THAN COCAINE. That the big food companies are as deceitful, greedy and uncaring as the big tobacco companies.
Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic and, for the first time in history, more children will die from the effects of obesity than from starvation. This generation is the first to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. That’s inexcusable.
And it has little to do with willpower. “Blaming kids is a crime,” says one expert as we watch heartbreaking stories of young people trying hard to lose weight, crying in frustration and even undergoing surgery.
Our kids are eating themselves to death because the big food companies keep putting more and more sugar into items, marketing those items endlessly, distributing them everywhere (do gas stations and electronics stores really need to sell snacks?) and trying to distract us with messages about eating smarter and exercising more.
As the film says, “We’re not going to exercise our way out of this epidemic.”
I always said it was a good thing I didn’t drink because I would probably end up as an alcoholic. But, guess what? Hello, I’m Lois and I’m a sugar addict.
In many ways, that’s probably worse than being addicted to alcohol or tobacco because you have to eat. Although choosing the right foods is certainly possible, “the deck is stacked against healthy eating,” according to the film, especially when school lunches consider ketchup a vegetable and – take a look at this because it says everything and will horrify you that it’s legal – food companies, on their packaging, are required to reveal the percentage of recommended daily allowances of all major ingredients EXCEPT SUGAR. WTF? Go check your cupboards. The labels tell you how many grams there are but won’t tell you what percentage that is because it’s probably already over the daily recommended allowance.
And the daily recommended allowance? Well, the World Health Organization wrote a report recommending that 10% of daily calories come from sugar. However, Big Food didn’t like that number and complained to the Bush Administration, which agreed it was too tough on the industry and threatened to withhold millions of dollars to WHO if they didn’t go along with the sugar lobbyists’ recommendation of 25%.
Apparently, in addition to foods that make us fat and sick, Big Food is feeding us a lot of bullshit.
I could go on and on because I took pages of notes of appalling facts. Here’s one of the most sobering:
What it comes down to is this: food addiction is not a metaphor; it’s a biological fact. Even those who are thin on the outside may be shocked to discover they are obese on the inside. This is so common, doctors refer to it by an acronym, TOFI.
If we want to stop obesity and all the preventable health conditions that come with it, we have to treat Big Food like Big Tobacco. In the last twenty years, the number of high school students who smoke has dropped in half. Let’s do the same with obesity.
It’s time to fight for warnings on soda, prohibit marketing to children, ban junk food in schools, and demand full disclosure labeling.
Other countries are already doing many of these things. Why aren’t we?
Watch the trailer, check out the Fed Up website and go see the movie. Just try to skip the popcorn and soda.
Sigh….I drink a lot of soda, so I don’t think I want to see this. I saw that McDonald’s movie a few years ago and as a McDonald’s lover, I could never go back after that and I was really sad.
I would be scared to watch this movie. I dont drink soda but know it is in the foods we buy too.
The only thing I’d like a do-over about regarding parenting is this. I’d eliminate much of the processed food that my kids ate – Chips Ahoy, Frosted Mini Wheats – and feed them more pure and healthy foods. And forget about my childhood, filled with Spaghettios and Pop Tarts. Oy vey.
I look forward to seeing this. The corporations are taking over our lives, and the politicians are allowing it. It’s disgraceful and shameful and needs to be stopped. I can’t wait to see this movie to feel even angrier. These are disgusting facts and stats, Lois. Thanks for sharing.
So scary!!! Thanks for the review, it is more than frightening how much influence big industries have over the health of not only our planet but our children. Thanks again!
I am absolutely a sugar addict. I’m a healthy food nut, too. I never knew the two could live in the same body, but they can. I’m not sure what I’m going to do about it, but sugar could eventually kill me because diabetes runs in my family. it took me years to realize that stress and lack of sleep are the main problems for me, and I’m hoping that once I get a handle on them I can begin to cut sugar out of my life…or at least most of it.
The more we know about sugar and processed foods, the more we realize how terrible they are for us. I’m glad this film is out and I hope people go to see it. I know I will.
Hi Lois,
Thanks for bringing attention to this scourge in our food system. I was shocked to hear that both type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 are on the rise that I believe 1 in 5 kids will be diagnosed in NJ, are the latest statistics. That is truly alarming.
I don’t drink soda, but do eat processed foods that aren’t good for me.
With the amount of education out there, I think we are as much to blame as the corporations. We buy the foods. We sit in front of the TVs and computers. We don’t go outside. The country isn’t becoming obese or getting diabetes because these companies are making these products. We are doing so because we are consuming them at an alarming rate. My 2 cents. 🙂
Wow, I haven’t heard of this movie.. but it sounds like I really need to go see it asap! Thanks for sharing your feedback and the trailer! I have to admit, I am kind of a food documentary junkie!
WOW This Is NOT GOOD I Hadn’t A Clue My Goodness These Stats Are Scary We really Have To Watch Our Children As Well As Ourselves If We Don’t Want To Be A Part Of These Statistics!!
I can definitely see how sugar could be addictive. I always find myself craving sweets when I do have cravings.
Im proud to say that I gave up pop years ago! I’m trying to get the rest of the family to quit too.
I would love to see this show. I know that I have an issue with sugar and have to often times detox myself from it. Great article.
Coke and sneakers are my curse I could quit all other but my cold can of coke no and my sneaker after launch please no I need them!!!
I love this! And I am completely addicted to sugar. Now pop I don’t have an issue with, as far as I am not a big fan anyway.
Sugar and gmo … we are really getting more unhealthy. I love sugar myself but I don’t allow my son to eat it much. A bit of a hypocrite I am I think.
Sounds like a good documentary. I firmly believe that life is about balance and as parents we have to be the guides of our children. Beginning in the home, we have to help them make good choices whether food and drink related or life related.
You have to take control of your diet. Read labels. Learn what things are made from. You have to do it.
I am always surprised that people still get surprised when they realize that mass marketed food products are terrible for us. Since I was young, I questioned everything… simply because it made no sense to me that those raking in the big bucks for filling us with chemicals and sugar would actually have our health interests at heart.
It is a shame what the food companies are doing to this country. More documentaries like this are what is needed. If this incensed you… please watch some more. There are plenty!!! Glad you are jumping on board 🙂
Sounds like great info. I cut out pop some time ago along with cutting my sugar intake and have so much easier time handling my diabetis
I can’t wait to see this.
I need to check out this movie. We really need to understand what the things we put inside us are going to us.
Lois,
It’s so good that you bring attention to this. As an aside to the subject of children and obesity, women are 35% more likely to have breast cancer because of obesity as well- as seen in the news yesterday. All are sobering facts.
Thank you for your thoughtful work in letting us know about the documentary and the truth about the situation.
Thanks for sharing this Lois. It’s such an important message. And unfortunately, the other problem related to this is that healthcare in our country is basically sickcare and is essentially run by the pharmaceutical companies. Doctors prescribe pills to mask or eliminate symptoms but in most cases do not seek out the root cause of the problem. And too of them many don’t even follow proper diet and exercise protocols themselves. The research is there that in many cases what we are eating is making us sick and killing us. Yet how many doc’s prescribe diet? Not enough… there’s no money in that. As individuals we have to take responsibility for our own health and what we put into our bodies. And we have to move, too. It may not be convenient or sexy but eating whole food and exercising is the best prescription for good health there is. Time to stop buying into all the marketing and take care of ourselves and our families. Sadly for many who are already addicted it’s going to be really hard…
Yes, yes, yes. It’s inexcusable and disgusting. So sad. We need to be aware and our own advocates; the food industry, as a whole, is NOT looking out for us.