The Documentary ' Fed Up Essay

In recent years, obesity has become one of the major health crisis in the United States. Obesity rates are growing continuously in the United States. More and more people have affected by obesity. Even children have become the victims of obesity. Stephanie Soechtig, the director of the documentary film Fed Up, looks into the obesity epidemic to to find the reasons that caused this health issue and possible solutions. According to Katie Couric, The narrator of Fed Up, the general public believe the cause of obesity epidemic are the “lack of exercise” and “increased appetites” (Fed Up). However, the true cause that Soechting has found is not just simply lack of exercise or increased appetites. In the documentary film Fed Up, the producer Stephanie Soechting is trying to convince the

In the ted talk “Teach every child about food”, speaker Jamie Oliver, talks about the unhealthy eating habits of children all across America. He comes straight out by telling us the present generation of kids are implemented with 10 years of less life expectancy than their parents. The main focus of the talk is directed towards bad health and how it leads to the state of obesity, which is considered a global issue. Oliver gives a solid statement regarding his talk, “ Obesity costs you Americans 10 percent of your health-care bills, 150 billion dollars a year.” Furthermore, he visualizes his proof with a chart stating heart disease to be the number one cause of deaths in America, which is nearly 30 percent. To wrap up his presentation, Oliver makes a final statement that he envisions a food revolt, in his own words “ to educate every child about food and to inspire families to cook at home again.

The documentary film Fed Up (2014) defines the problem of obesity in American culture due to low quality food products being sold by corporations through fast food chains and convenient stores. Katei Couric (the narrator) brings forth the argument that the quest for profits by industrial food producers reduces the quality of food through products, such as high fructose corn syrup. Currently, the dominance of industrial farming, genetic engineering, and lack of sustainable options define a downward trend in food quality: “One reasons why large farms are relatively unproductive compared to small farms is that large farms the world over tend to use monoculture. Monoculture is a single crop species” (8:45). This type of inefficient and wasteful method of farming depletes the land of minerals and tends to produce massive quantities of crops, such as corn and grain, as a base for the food supply. This corn product tends to be used in almost every food throughout the food chain, including feeding livestock for beef, corn syrup in fatty foods, etc. Therefore, industrial farming produces a decreasing variety of food products due to the prominence of massive industrial farms that produce America’s primary food supply. This encourages unhealthy and fatty foods (soda, bread, grease fried foods, etc.) to flood the food markets for greater profits due to the lower costs of food production.

Stephanie Soechtig, is an award-winning film-maker, and director and producer of the nonfiction documentary Fed Up. She began producing documentaries for network news programs such as Primetime Live and 20/20, while also working for Good Morning America during the 2000 presidential elections and the O’Reilly Factor. In 2008, Soechtig partnered with Michael and Michelle Walrath to start Atlas Films, which provided inspiration and education to consumers on the most controversial topics. So far, Soechtig has been awarded the “Best Documentary Feature” for Tapped (2009), “People’s Choice Award” for Under the Gun (2016), and Fortune Magazine named Soechtig as being one of the “Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink” (Biography). In 2014, Soechtig’s “Grand Jury Prize” nominated film Fed Up (2014), narrated by TV Journalist Katie Couric, was created in hopes of unveiling the hidden secrets of the food industry by using statistical analysis and research expert’s testimonies to inform viewers of the direct impact that the food industry has on the health of our nation’s most vulnerable population—children. Soechtig and Couric present the argument that the roles of our government along with the interests and processing methods of food industries are ultimately responsible for the increasing rates of childhood obesity in the United States.

Within the documentary "Fed up", you follow three children and their struggle with losing weight. In addition, it discusses America's obesity epidemic and the groups contributing to this problem; Congress, the food industry, and America's public schools. Saying if things continue on the way they are, 95 percent of Americans will be overweight or obese by 2035. Where in schools they count things like pizza sauce as a vegetable all while the government approves marketing of unhealthy foods to children. These habits follow into adulthood, and the cycle continues.

The film fed up is an examination of America’s obesity epidemic and the food industry’s influence on it. The film Fed Up focused on childhood obesity. This film portrayed many issues that are present in the United States today. Childhood obesity is influenced by the constant advertisements focusing on the high sugar foods; these advertisements are targeting children. Along with targeting children these advertisements use favorite characters and idols to encourage children to want these products that may not be health for them at all. Advertisements are sending out false messages, such as ‘this product is good, your idol loves it so you will too!’. This isn’t fair to children to only show them advertisements of unhealthy, sugary foods. Children follow the examples of their parents, so if a parent not making the healthy choices then the children may follow their decisions healthy or not. The United States original “cure” for obesity is eat less and exercise more. However, this “cure” may not be the true answer to losing weight. In 1977 the obesity epidemic began as well as the low fat foods. The low fat foods were low in fat but in order to make the food palatable they doubled the sugar. Scientists believe that this

Fed up focuses on the connection between the growing numbers of obesity and the increase amount of sugar intake. Throughout the film, they look at the roles of food industries and the government. Food industries want to make a profit, but they are ultimately responsible for increase sugar and processed foods, and having lobbyists who fight against regulations that the government tries to put in place. The documentary shows how difficult it is to be eating nutritionally healthy in our society when sugar and snacks are everywhere due to marketing and having it available at every store. They focus in on personal cases of young children struggling to overcome obesity as well as experts who explain their opinions.

Better eating Many people in today's world rarely pay attention to the foods they put in their bodies. Our country has now started to revolve and include fast food in our everyday lives, we do this because it has become convenient, cheaper and even just more fun. Because of this the obesity rate in our country has increased drastically, and will continue to rise if we do not take our eating habits more seriously. Fast food restaurants make it hard for us to make better decisions with our eating habits because they advertise and make it seem like fast food is a better alternative.

The film Fed Up informs its audience on the factors for obesity increasing at a rapid rate and evidence as to why the United States should act to prevent obesity. Fed Up successfully persuaded people to be aware of obesity in our nation. The film was able to portray its information in a powerful way by using strong emotional appeals to ethos pathos and logos.

“Fed Up” is a documentary written by Stephanie Soechtig and Mark Monroe (2014) that suggests that the food industry is to blame for the obesity epidemic in America. It suggests that the industry is increasing, hiding and heavily advertising products that contain high amounts of sugar. It makes good use of

In America, more people are becoming overweight or obese than ever, over 70 percent of the population. Much of this is occurring because of what the food industry is doing and because of many misconceptions in the minds of the ordinary people. These, along with other factors are generating an obesity epidemic in the USA. This documentary visits several experts and people with first-hand experiences with obesity. They bring to light many of the causes that induce people becoming obese, teach people how to avoid such things, suggest methods for restoring one's health, and reveal the benefits that come with good health and the hindrances that come with malnutrition. At the same time, it follows the fictional life of a woman as she makes the decision

Along with these factors the food industry is spreading the sell of high-sugar and high-fat foods, increasing their portion sizes and uncontrollably boosting these products. In the article, “Fast-food Culture Serves Up Super-Size Americans”,  author Bridget Murray discusses “toxic signs” such as Nutritious foods reign, serving sizes keep increasing, and the food Industry has run amok. The food industry has prospered into being in common places such gas stations, vending machines, convenience stores,  serving high-fat, high-sugar food, and restaurants increasing their serving size and promoting bargains for low cost products.  Murray has noted, “ High-fat, High-sugar foods are widely available, taste good and cost less than healthier food”; an example of this would be vending machines. Vending machines contain many fatty foods at low prices as they are convenient to a typical person. The most common source of increasing serving sizes, is McDonald’s use of Super-Size it, which they had made into a verb. The food industry has run amok by serving appealing processed foods, through colorful packaging in addition to using advertisements on television, computers and social media. Children spend most of their day watching T.V., where they view multiple advertisements. In recent articles, “...research has found that children who watch more than three hours of television a day are 50 per cent more likely to be obese than children who watch fewer

Known for his satirical street art that sends messages of awareness of the corrupt society, Banksy, has remarked that “ a recent survey or North American males found 42% were overweight, 34% were critically obese and 8% ate the survey.” With the rising awareness and prevalence, obesity has become an epidemic. In the United States alone, one of every five Americans are overweight, and one of every five are obese. Among the younger ages of childhood and adolescence, the National Health and Nutrition Examination reported that 17% of kids “age six through nineteen are obese.” This problem, of course, is not limited only to America. Studies performed by the United Nations have reported that in the year 2000, “the number of people suffering from overnutrition--a billion--had officially surpassed the number suffering from malnutrition--800 million.”

Many attempt to discover the reason for the obesity pandemic occurring across the world, however few understand the true meaning. Media attempts to portray the simpler version of energy balance, consuming the proper amount of calories to energy expenditure. Conversely, the quality of the calories consumed drastically alters the end result. For example, consuming excess sugar with limited fiber leads to the creation of fat. The directors of Fed Up raise awareness to the many other issues producing an extreme weight gain among the population.

Imagine living in a world where every day is a constant struggle to survive. A world where no matter what you do you will always be in search for a resolution to a shortage of food. To make things worse, imagine dealing with this situation and being only a child, suffering on your own. This standard of living is common for children in various parts of the world today. In contrast to the theme of world hunger and its suffering in the first picture comes the inverse theme of obesity in America in the second. Although both situations are substantially important they are equally overlooked. Both of the given pictures create a chilling understanding of the