Fed Up (2014) Reviews

• Get out the word!

  junkmail-3852014-05-31

  Fed Up highlights sleazy lobbying efforts of the food industry and describes simple actions our government could take to alleviate the obesity epidemic. Even Michelle Obama was distracted by the industry. Perhaps with the prodding of this movie production, Michelle O. has more recently started to get back on track with making dietary changes in our schools. Will our government move in the right direction? Only with a strong grass roots effort to counteract the industry. Fed Up gives us the tools. The People enacted change upon the tobacco industry. We can do it again for food! Warning: Don't see this movie if you're happy with the status quo, a shorter, lower quality of life, and don't mind paying even more for health care.

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• An important film that doesn't try to "sugar coat" the problem

  howard.schumann2014-05-24

  If you pay attention to nutrition labels on the food products you buy, you may notice that next to the number of grams of sugar, there is no percentage shown. The sugar industry made sure of that. What they don't want consumers to know is that the sugar content of many of their products is 100% or more of the average daily requirement. Stephanie Soechtig excoriates the sugar industry for valuing profits over health in her hard-hitting documentary Fed Up. Produced by Katie Couric, who is also the narrator and Laurie David, producer of the climate-change documentary An Inconvenient Truth, the film compares awareness of the true causes of obesity to the decade's long campaign informing the public about the danger of smoking cigarettes. Though individual choice does play a part, Fed Up says that the main problem is not the lack of will power of the individual but the fact that people have become addicted to sugar. According to Soechtig, collusion between the food industry, Congress and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has led to fierce opposition to regulation, government subsidies to farmers for their corn (which has been turned into high fructose corn syrup), unhealthy school lunch programs (80% have contracts with Coke or Pepsi), and relentless advertising campaigns directed towards children. Bolstered by interviews with former President Bill Clinton, author Michael Pollan, and Senator Tom Harkin together with a bevy of medical researchers, the film cites statistics showing that 80% of the approximately 600,000 products sold in the supermarkets and convenience stores have added sugar and that, since the late 1970s, Americans have doubled their daily consumption of sugar so that now, one in every five people face obesity. It is estimated by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) that in one year, kids eat more than 10 pounds of sugar by weight from breakfast cereal. Using charts and graphs, Soechtig also shows that the amount of sugar the industry has added to food to compensate for the unappealing taste of low-fat products has contributed to the increase in Type II diabetes such that by the year 2050, it is predicted that one out of three Americans will be diabetic. The film makes the problem even more real by focusing on several teenagers who have struggled with their weight for many years, emphatically pointing out the error of the conventional wisdom which says that eating less and exercising more (striking a balance between calories in and calories out), is the best solution. Sparing no one including Michelle Obama, the film notes that her "Let's Move" campaign has been co-opted by the food industry and the responsibility for obesity placed on the individual. While Fed Up is definitely an advocacy doc and is typically one-sided (representatives of the food industry refused to be interviewed), it is an important film that doesn't try to "sugar coat" the problem but asks us to become involved by seeking an alternative to sugar-laden products, putting pressure on government and industry representatives, and demanding that the food industry begin caring about the health of our children. Now wouldn't that be sweet?

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• This should be required viewing for all schools, doctors, and nutritionists

  michellelcalvert2014-05-20

  Overall excellent documentary that everyone could benefit from. The trailer covers a lot of the main spoiler points (added sugar and refined flour is bad, etc) but the movie delves in deeper and shows the politics going on to make sure that no matter what bad news is discovered about sugar, processed food companies will make sure you somehow consume even more. The movie points out what affects the bottom line for food companies is sales and growth, not health. The movie also showed some very interesting concepts about our fascination with exercise and counting calories. Our modern world is exposed to all kinds of manipulative marketing that feeds into what nutritionists and doctors tell patients. The movie tragically showed how well meaning parents thought that their processed food diets were healthy even though their kids were obese. The movie points out that nothing will change until people stop believing popular marketing and switch from processed foods to whole, fresh foods without all the chemicals, additives, and sugar. I would not be surprised if years from now we will look back on the sugar industry with the same horror as the tobacco industry, and hope that we do something about this before many more people develop unnecessary health issues. I wish the story ended with a few more encouraging stories of people who kicked the sugar habit. Instead, I kind of felt like we were left hanging. I really enjoyed learning about the politics behind food marketing. There were also some parts of the movie that were slower going, hence only 8 out of 10.

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• An Expose on the U.S. Food Industry and What Is Making Us Sick

  rannynm2014-05-28

  Eye-opening! I love the way this film's message comes through in an intellectual and impactful way. This documentary tackles the issue of childhood obesity and follows the lives of kids across America. In between, we learn that everything we know about losing weight is wrong and that the content in our food products is a lie. I want you to find any processed food product and look on the nutrition label. You will find that sugar does not have a percent daily value. All the other ingredients do. Why not sugar? Because, "80% out of the 600,000 food products sold in the country have added sugar and since 1995 the government has provided over eight billion dollars in subsides for corn based sweeteners." Revealing these surprising facts was no easy feat however, director Stephanie Soechtig brilliantly shows the struggle that all kids go through as they battle obesity. The half a dozen kids they follow through their physical and, more important, emotional pain - are amazing. We see them living different lives but dealing with the same obstacles. Their everyday struggles prove this film's theory. Many doctors, authors and, even presidents, are interviewed. Each has their say in the issue and all have wise words. The animation showing graphs, pie charts and ratings are clever. Mixed in with the informative, stock footage of news and food commercials showing the history of obesity, make this an exciting and insightful film. I was blown away by Maggie Valentine's story. This beautiful girl is going through the heartache of trying to control her weight. She works everyday to release weight but, in the end, it's futile. To see her tears, frustration and sadness is unbearable to watch. The message in this film is, "Change the food industry!" Being overweight is not entirely a personal fault. Our processed foods are a huge cause of the obesity rate in America. Food companies continue to grow bigger and stronger. Thus, we need to change the way we eat. We need to stop putting gasoline on to the fire. It's not easy. As Margo Wootan says, "Healthy eating is like swimming up stream. If you want to eat better you have to work hard against the food environment." The interview with David Allison, PH.D, Director of the Nutrition Obesity Research Center, is both tragic and funny. Allison has repeatedly taken research money from Coke, Pepsi and America Beverage Association. Asked about sugary beverages, David says, "one question you might ask is 'weather sugary beverages contribute more calories than other foods'" The interviewer asks, "Do they?" David replies, "It's a good question but I don't think the evidence is quite clear." The interviewer asks, "What is the science behind that?" David replies, "The ideal study might be to require people to … (he stumbles) Ah, let me start again on that. Let me get my thoughts together..." Allison can't even form words. This made me chuckle because he can't even devise a logical explanation. I give this 5 out of 5 stars and recommend this to 6- to 18-year-olds. Kids need to be aware of what's in the food they eat and learn how to make better choices. Reviewed by Keefer B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more reviews go to kidsfirst dot org

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• In the list of 1000s things which threaten our lives..you could add FOOD too.

  Dr_Sagan2015-01-17

  Although I am a Doctor of medicine and these facts are known by me since decades, I'll try to evaluate the efficiency of this documentary more than the facts which are undisputed. The "not enough data" or "the relation is unclear" for many global hazards, are arguments that is constantly presented by all the major corporations. The pollutants in the atmosphere, the radiation emitted by cellphones and many other dangers are overlooked by the governments because of the enormous profits of major industries. To tell you the truth if these factories were to be closed probably millions of people would lose their jobs and their families could starve, literally. That's not an excuse though. You can't (I heard the exact example in some TV series) to sell drugs with the excuse that YOU need to survive and provide to your family. Fed Up, if nothing else, seems like a very credible Documentary. With interviewees such as professors of medicine from universities like Harvard, an ex-head of the FDA, and even an ex-POTUS (Bill Clinton) it's difficult to have doubts about that. The "emotional" segments with actual families who suffer from obesity and what goes with it, are occupy a large part of the film but aren't too melodramatic. The facts are presented with a clear way. Modern infographics are merged with real life examples to make each message as comprehensible it can be. You also get to realize some "weird" truths like the fact that while the US government is trying make the citizens and especially kids to eat healthier, at the same time tries to promote the use of agricultural products like corn when corn syrup is the number one provider of the sugar in many many foods. The statistics are to be feared. 50% of American will experience the consequences of obesity even if their weight is in normal range. The movie rings the bell for the future generations too. The production has high production values and a modern feel. Just read that some critics wrote things like "A whirlwind of talking heads, found footage, scary statistics and cartoonish graphics". Well...that's a good thing! The problem is that all these facts and guidelines are often written in poorly made pamphlets or boring videos. You want nowadays to pass your messages in a modern way. Fast cuts, graphics and music are essential so the movie won't get boring and the viewers stop watching and miss the message. A good effort overall. I recommend to see it, and to take it seriously.

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