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Super Size Me facts for kids

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Super Size Me is a 2004 American documentary movie. It was directed by and stars Morgan Spurlock. The movie shows an interesting experiment. Spurlock ate only food from McDonald's for thirty days. He ate at McDonald's three times a day. This experiment lasted from February 1 to March 2, 2003. It explored how fast food affects a person's body and mind.

What is the Super Size Me Experiment?

In the movie, Morgan Spurlock decided to eat only McDonald's food for a whole month. He ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner there every day. On average, he ate about 5,000 calories daily. This is much more than what most people need.

How Did the Experiment Affect Spurlock's Health?

Eating only fast food for 30 days had a big impact on Spurlock's health. He gained 24 and a half pounds. His body fat increased by 13 percent. His cholesterol levels also went up a lot. He also experienced mood swings, meaning his feelings changed quickly. Doctors found that he had extra fat building up in his liver.

After the experiment, Spurlock worked to get healthy again. He followed a vegan diet. This diet avoids all animal products. His then-future wife, Natalie Appleton, helped him with this healthy eating plan.

Why Was This Experiment Done?

Morgan Spurlock made Super Size Me for a few important reasons. One reason was the growing problem of obesity in the United States. Obesity means having too much body fat, which can lead to health problems.

Another reason was a court case. Two teenage girls had sued McDonald's. They claimed they became obese because they ate a lot of McDonald's food. This case made people think more about how fast food affects health.

Criticizing the Fast Food Industry

Through his movie, Spurlock also wanted to criticize McDonald's and the whole fast food industry. He pointed out several issues. These included selling food that is not very healthy. He also looked at how these companies market their food. Spurlock questioned how much profit these big organizations make from selling unhealthy food.

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