‘Fed Up’ is a Cautionary Story for All of Us

Printer-friendly versionE-mail page to friendPDF version

Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Here’s the deal, America. We’ve got some powerful mega-corporations who manufacture food to make a profit. What makes us buy food? Taste. The reason the obesity rates are skyrocketing has to do with the additives – mostly sugar – that these mega-corps are adding to give their food taste. It’s all exposed nicely in the new documentary, “Fed Up.”

It has been said that food is the most abused drug on earth, and the dealers are the food manufacturers. As mass marketing and manufacturing has gained a foothold in life from 1900 to 2000, the victims are the consumers. And don’t expect any help from the legislators, either at the state or federal level. Part of the massive profits that food companies make are neatly stuffed into the pockets of our bought and sold politicians. And as the documentary notes, even First Lady Michelle Obama is not immune – her “Let’s Move” program has backed off of food, and made it more about exercise. This is a exposé that will tell you the truth, what you want to do with that truth is your challenge.

Talk show host Katie Couric is the centerpiece of this documentary. Her journey with the subject began when she hosted “The Today Show,” and has followed her to a lifelong pursuit of what is true regarding our food and the food industry. The usual known culprits are highlighted, but with a twist. The addition of sugar to most of our foods – check the labels – is contributing to the fattening of ourselves and our kids.

The Tale of the Scale in ‘Fed Up’
Photo credit: RADIUS-TWC

You would think that such a health crisis would be call-to-arms for crusading government regulation. But like the cigarette industry for years, the mega-food corporations have been able to pay off the right politicians and the information regarding sugar additives is stifled in very creative ways. The food industry is like the tobacco industry in another way – they are getting a pass while our healthcare system is burdened through the use of their products by Americans.

This is the type of documentary that actually uncovers something important, which is very rare – think of it like a similar exposé of cigarettes in 1960. The effort that the food industry puts forth to protect you from the truth is truly unfathomable, at least in a humane sense. As adults, we have to face the truth that corporations exist to make profits, to satisfy their stock holders and to make each other rich. They don’t give a good goddam about the users of their product, as long as they keep buying it.

One of most revealing truths has to do with our friends in the sugar industry. Their wealthy footprint is so prevalent, that it crushes the necks of any dissent – or pays it off. Look at the “Nutrition Labels” on the back of any product. Sure, the sugar is listed (in grams, dang that metric system), but the “daily percentage” is left off – due to the lobbying of the sugar industry. Why? The daily recommended allowance of sugar is 8-9 teaspoons. That’s it. One package of M&Ms or a can of Coke has that much. So the sugar industry would be hard pressed to sell a product that lists 200% of your daily sugar allowance in one serving (by the way, 4 grams of sugar equals one teaspoon).

And the thing is, I don’t think sales would be radically affected by that information. People like what they like. But the point should be that complete disclosure should be required, so a person can make an informed choices. The last time I checked, cigarettes aren’t illegal. But because of true information about the product, consumers made the decision to quit. It’s only fair that this happens to the food industry, money be damned.

The Pleasure Center of Your Brain on Sugar and Cocaine in ‘Fed Up’
Photo credit: RADIUS-TWC

Another truth that adults should take away from “Fed Up” is that sugar is killing our kids, and making them dangerously fat. When a stomach staple is medically necessary for a 15 year old boy, something is wrong. In our addiction to food, and their additives, it seems we’re willing to sell out our kids. And there is an assertion in the film that it’s not all a parent’s fault. The marketing and availability of this food is overwhelming, and you can’t monitor everything, There has to be some help, from some type of regulation, as the documentary pleads.

This is highly watchable, vital information for everyone. Basically its message is don’t be conned by a corporation, they don’t give a damn about you or your kids. It’s no wonder that the very clever poster for the film is two M&Ms (red and blue), with the initials of the film imprinted on them, side-by-side, spelling out “F.U.”

By PATRICK McDONALD Senior Staff Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com