What Happened When a Filmmaker Ate McDonald’s Meals for 30 Days
Morgan Spurlock devoured only McDonald’s for 30 days, consuming three meals a day.
In 2004 filmmaker Morgan Spurlock conducted an trial to demonstrate the hazards of fast food dependency. In his film “Super Size Me” he devoured only McDonald’s for 30 days, 3 meals a day, no exemptions. He was documented, with astonishing results.
Spurlock adhered to the regulations: consume everything on the McDonald’s menu at least once, don’t supersize unless the employee offers, and maintain an average American activity level of 5,000 steps a day. By day 5 he had gained 9.5 pounds, by day 21 he had gained 24.5 pounds. His cholesterol escalated from 168 to 230 and his body fat percentage rose from 11% to 18%.
For one month it took to shoot “Super Size Me” – which cost only $65,000 to produce – Morgan Spurlock consumed exclusively at McDonald’s.
Intermingled with scenes of his meals are specifics about the fast-food giant’s promotional tactics to maintain customer satisfaction and the genuine cost to the consumer from health professionals.
Throughout the trial Spurlock encountered various adverse health consequences: migraines, despondency, mood fluctuations, decreased libido. His physicians were apprehensive about his liver which was accumulating fat. Spurlock also confessed to yearning for McDonald’s food and feeling sluggish without it, displaying symptoms resembling addiction.
The film garnered a lot of attention and backlash, McDonald’s initially labeled it a “super-sized distortion of the truth”. However, shortly after the film was released McDonald’s eradicated the Supersize choice.
The film generated over $22 million and initiated a worldwide discussion about fast food. Spurlock’s trial revealed the hazards of fast food dependency and altered the way individuals eat.
“Super Size Me,” which was nominated for an Oscar for best documentary feature.
The clever, acerbic film helped trigger a change in strategy by fast-food corporations to incorporate healthier alternatives on their menus amidst growing concern over escalating obesity rates in the United States.
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