Everything you think you know about food and exercise may be wrong!
This past weekend my family and I watched “Fed Up”, a documentary produced by Katie Couric and Laurie David, an eye opening account of our current food system and how it has led to the obesity epidemic.
The film showcases 6 children battling obesity, diabetes and all of the social and emotional issues that accompany them. My family found it difficult to watch the struggles these children face. It’s saddening to think what will become of them. Take a look at this clip from the movie-
What we learned:
-All sugar is sugar-It doesn’t matter if it is called high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, glucose etc. They are over 50 types of sugar and your body reacts to them all the same way (by spiking insulin levels and helping your body store fat)
-Sugar is listed on food labels in grams but Americans don’t use grams to measure food. If sugar were listed by teaspoons, we would be shocked by what we are eating.
-In 20 years almost 90% of Americans will be overweight and 1/3 of children will have Diabetes.
-School lunches are (with few exceptions) not made at school but are processed foods sent in and heated up for our kids to eat.
-Exercise alone cannot fix the obesity epidemic
–Lobbyists for the food & agriculture business have far more influence on the dietary guidelines than you may be aware of.
What our family discussed:
-What can do better as a family to try to improve our own habits.
-How to read labels more carefully.
-How schools might do a better job at taking care of the students.
-How the government might change it’s actions.
It’s not easy to navigate all of the misinformation out there in the food industry. So what can you do?
-Cook more meals at home with real food.
-Send your kids to school with their own lunches.
-Teach them how to read nutrition labels and make smart choices.
–Take the Fed Up Challenge and Go Sugar Free for 10 days
Are you Fed up? Want to learn more?
I was provided a free copy of The Fed Up DVD through my association with Meatless Monday. I found it eye opening and disturbing. I’d like to pay it forward by giving one of you the copy to watch and then hope that you will then pass it along to someone else and so on. Enter below to win my copy of the movie.
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I haven’t seen Fed Up but would love to! Have you watched Food Inc? Yikes! Talk about eye opening. How about Fat Sick and Nearly Dead? Another good one to watch.
I know it eye opening for sure! Now to get other to watch it…
I love watching these kind of documentaries, there are quite a few of them on netflix. I have not heard of this one, but I want to see it! Can I win please? 🙂
You’re right they are really interesting to watch. It would be great if one of my friends won!
I have not heard nor seen this movie. I don’t think it is that hard to believe though, unfortunately our society is not the healthiest bunch. I will have to check it out.
It’s really interesting and what you learn about the Dept of Agriculture is eye opening.
Happy Thursday!!! I have not seen the movie. But, I totally accept the 10days of “NO SUGAR” challenge. And, I would love to keep going after ten days!!! Recently sugar has made it’s way back in my life and not in a good way!!!
XOXO, TGIT
Laurie~*
It does happen to sneak in doesn’t it? I always have to re assess.
No sugar for 10 days! No jelly bellies? That would be tough! America does need to be FED UP! Working in health care is an eye opener. I have been in the finance end of health care for over 20 years and I am fed up for sure! My industry used to be full of little old people, now the folks in our facilities are getting younger and younger and it is very disturbing. They are here because they made bad choices- lots of diabetes and they are losing limbs in their 50’s! I know it is expensive to eat well, I have 2 young 20 somethings and it is hard to help them make better food choices because it costs them more $$. It is leading to a very serious problem for the US. Everyone needs to be FED UP!
It is hard to make good choices sometimes. The biggest problem is that most people don’t even know what they are doing. Sad for the next generation.
That is such a good point that we don’t really comprehend how many grams equal tablespoons. My husband is a nutrition professor and has brought up many of the same points when in discussion with our friends. It is so alarming how poorly children eat because of lack of education and resources.
I know it’s crazy! Lots of people think they are making good choices because they just don’t know.
I have heard great things about this documentary, totally checking it out this weekend. It is so scary what is actually in our food. And to your point about publishing sugar in teaspoons instead of grams, I totally agree that people would be shocked. 4g=1 tsp. Those little yogurt cups have like 4 tsp of sugar in them its CRAZY.
I know one of those yogurts that we give our kids is enough sugar for a whole day!
No, I haven’t seen but am very interested in that kind of info
It was an eye opening documentary hope you have a chance to watch it. Thanks for commenting 🙂
SOunds like a great documentary. When I gave up all sugar for a few weeks in August I felt awesome, I need to get back to that. I definitely think sugar is a big reason for the obesity epidemic we face today.
Absolutely! It is hard to do but little changes make a big difference.
I haven’t seen Fed Up but I really want to!!
I hope you have the chance to watch it-parts of it were shocking really and I thought I was well informed.
A super important lesson for all. Unfortunately, people think that just doing one thing will fix all their problems, but really, it is a holistic and comprehensive approach that yields the best results. And that starts, in my opinion with education, follows up with resources, and ends with practice.
Totally agree! Problem is people think they are making good choices but they just don’t have all the info.
I am totally fed up!!! I am also fed up with the American public who prefers convenience over health, we need to take personal responsibility for our health and nutrition. I didn’t realize what an anomaly it is for families to make/cook the majority of their meals.
I think you’re right and many families don’t cook their kids meals or school lunches. People also don’t have correct information on nutrition either. It is easy to be mislead by labels.
I haven’t seen this documentary yet but I’ve watched enough of them to be very afraid for my kids future. I’m hoping and praying that we, as a family can stay on the path of good health and sustainably based eating.
It is frightening to think about their future sometimes. It was a really interesting documentary to watch. I don’t think people really know what they are putting into their bodies.
What a great post! I saw Food, Inc. and it was pretty frightening. I LOVE that you and your family came up with an action plan of what you can do together. My husband and I are trying to cook more meals at home and are making small changes to keep ourselves healthy…
small changes make a huge difference. I know there is more we can do as a family and I plan to work on it.This film was a great reminder.
I have not seen Fed up but would really like to! I am fed up with how our government is not helping. People really need to be aware. Thanks for your post!
It is shocking how the government keeps us in the dark with the food labeling laws. People really have no idea what they are eating. Hope you get a chance to watch it-very eye opening.
I’ve never seen it but now I want to.
It was really informative and eye opening to say the least. I hope you have the chance to view it.
I need to see this documentary; it sounds fascinating… and scary.
It was really interesting, heart breaking and scary all at the same time. Hope you get a chance to see it.
whew…giving up sugar for 10 days would be so hard for me. I have a serious sweet tooth. I haven’t seen the movie yet but will have to check it out
It is hard to give it up! It is in everything. I don’t think I could give it up completely but I have tried to cut down on added sugars and think small changes make a big difference.
I have not seen the movie but would love to (and would love to have my daughter watch it with me!)
It is quite the eye opener and sad at the same time. Hope you both have a chance to watch it-very educational.
I have yet to watch this but it’s on my list. My kids never buy lunch at school, I always make it for them.
I hope you get a chance to watch it-it’s eye opening and so scary for the next generation. I always make their lunches as well-the school lunches are a big problem.
I gave up sugar for the 21 day reset that I did and found that I appreciated the sweetness of fruit a lot more by the end. Now I’m happy if dessert is some sort of fruit. As you can imagine, convincing my kids of that won’t be easy. Maybe I need to get them to watch the movie… They both take their lunches, but I need to work on the quality of what goes in them.
I love fruit for dessert too. Agreed convincing kids is hard and they look at you like your crazy. I hope you get a chance to watch the film it was really eye opening.
Late reading, but so glad you recapped this movie. What a wonderful way to share what’s REALLY going on with sugar to the general public. I hope it becomes more and more popular!
I found it really eye opening and informative. Very scary that people really have no idea what they are eating.