Super Size Me Movie: Facts & Summary

Cathy understands that this all seems very compelling to the average person, but there is more to the issue than what people are seeing in this documentary because it is primarily a form of entertainment rather than scientific research. The film is highly edited and shows only a portion of the meals that Spurlock ate, and the meals that are shown often depict him overeating to the point of illness. It's estimated that Spurlock ate about 5,000 calories per day, which is well above the average 2,000 calories of a healthy adult diet. The argument could be made that Spurlock's weight gain was the result of overindulgence, not simply eating fast food. Had he consumed these items in reasonable quantities, the results might have been different.

So how does Cathy quickly and professionally address patient concerns after they have seen or heard of the movie's premise? Well, she reminds patients that although fast food often isn't nutritionally ideal, it can be part of a balanced diet. Anyone who consumes 5,000 calories a day while living a sedentary lifestyle will gain weight and experience complications from that. An occasional cheeseburger and soda will not ruin a person's health if they do not overeat and otherwise eat a nutritious diet.

The results from Spurlock's documentary are arguably sensationalist and created for entertainment purposes. The vast majority of people are not eating McDonald's for three meals a day and in incredibly large portions. It may be okay to enjoy fast food every now and then if you eat it in moderation and maintain an active lifestyle.

The 2004 film Super Size Me was created by and starred Morgan Spurlock in his attempt to exclusively eat McDonald's menu items for three meals a day during a 30-day period. Over the course of the month, he gains weight and develops depression and sexual dysfunction. The film is highly critical of fast food corporations for aggressively marketing high-calorie, cheap food to the public.