Over the past thirty years, childhood obesity has become an increasingly prevalent issue. In the United States, approximately 93 Million Americans are affected by obesity. This issue is portrayed from an entirely different perspective in the documentary "Fed Up", from filmmaker Stephanie Soechtig and journalist Katie Couric. Since the 1970's, obesity has been on the rise and there aren't many signs of it slowing down in the near future. This issue is portrayed from an entirely different perspective in Katie Couric. The film is available to watch on Netflix, and I highly recommend that you watch it, if you want to really find about what the food industry is providing to America. It also shines a light on the topic of weight loss in young children.
There are testimonials from four kids of different ages and backgrounds, and each struggles with their weight. They are told by doctors that diet and exercise are the key to leading a healthy lifestyle. A 15 year old in the film went through surgery to help with his weight. Another child was actually sitting in the room while his doctor told his mother that he is only getting heavier and heavier, and that he needs to cut back. The child was 10 years old. These are hard words to hear at such a young age, and this contributes to a whole other world of issues involving body image. However, the information they need to be told is that it is not entirely their fault.
Yes, kids should be active and moving during the day, but the ingredients placed in the food they consume is completely out of their control. Sugar is the biggest factor that contributes to our obesity problem. When a product says "low fat", that usually means the company has increased the amount of sugar. Companies know that low fat products taste bland and disgusting, and this is how they make up for it.
These are images from the documentary, comparing seemingly healthy and unhealthy products:
It is astonishing how one can think they are eating healthy, but in reality they are consuming the same amount of sugar.
In order to have a healthier generation for the future, everyone has to start eating real food and cooking again. The environment around us needs to be changed. Kids are primed from a young age to want these sugary and fatty foods because they are EVERYWHERE. No matter where you look there is probably an ad for a candy bar, soda, or fast food meal. In the documentary, Couric states that, "Kids watch an average of 4000 food-related ads every year (10/day)."
America isn't the only country with obesity issues, but it is the country that is doing the most to avoid it. Michelle Obama tried to correct the problem with her "Let's Move" campaign, but the message was misinterpreted, and the only thing that has been done is a slight change in school lunches. The purpose of her message was to get the food companies moving towards adding better ingredients to their products. Companies like Coca Cola and Kellogg dodge questions and twist words to make consumers believe their products are okay, and Mrs. Obama was trying to stop it. America is not the only country with obesity issues, but it is the country that is doing the most to avoid it. I think it's time we all realize what's in our foods, and try to make a change.
