Super Size Me

1. Read the following general information about the documental ”Super Size me “ to understand the activity.

Morgan Spurlock directing and starring on an American indepent film: “ Super Size me”. Spurlock’s film follows a 3-0 day period from February 1st to March 2nd, 2003 in which he only ate food from MacDonald’s.

2. Read a summary about the first part of the documental Super Size Me ( The Experiment) or visit http:/www.Youtube.com/watch?v=mQj2u4ap5bo to watch the video.

Super Size Me (The Experiment)

As the film begins, Spurlock is above average physically shape according to the personal trainer. He is seen by three doctors( a cardiologist, a gastroenterologist, and a general practitioner), as well as a nutritionist and personal trainer. All of the health profesional predict the “McDiet” will have unwelcome effects on his body, but none expected anything too drastic, one citing the human body as being “extremely adaptable”.

On February 1st, Spurlock starts the month having breakfast near his home in Manhattan, where there is a average of four McDonald’s locations per square mile (2.6 km2) .He walks every day 5,000 steps,the American average(approximately two miles),because he aims to keep fit.

Spurlock has specific rules governing his nex eating habits:

• He must fully eat three McDonald’s meals per day: breakfast,lunch, and dinner.

• He must consume every ítem on the McDonald’s menú at least once over the course of the 30 days (he managed this in nine days).

• He must only ingest ítems that are offered on the McDonald’s menú,including bottled water. All outside consumption of food is prohibited.

• He must Super Size the meal when offered, but only when offered(i.e.,he is nos able to Super Size by his own will).

• He willl attempt to walk about as much as a typical U.S citizen base don a suggested figure of 5,000 standrdized distance step per day, but he did not closely adhere to this, as he walked more while in New York tan while in Houston.

Day 2 brings Spurlock’s first (of nine) Super Size meal, at the McDonald’s on 34th Street and thenth Avenue, wich happens to be a meal made of a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Super Size French fries, and 42 ounce Coke, wich takes 22 minutes toe eat. He experiences steadily increasing stomach discomfort during the process, and vomits in the McDonald’s parking lot.

Summary of:

http:/www.Youtube.com/watch?v=mQj2u4ap5bo

3. Work in groups of four. As you can see, Spurlock’s is getting into trouble now. Discuss and answer th following questions.

a) What would happen to the person of the documentary if the continues eating at the fast food restaurant for 30 days?

b) Do you think fast food is bad for you health?

c) Do you think fast food alters your weight? How?

d) Is your health in danger if you undergo to this experiment? Why?

e) Indentify what happened to Spurlock’s in Day 2?

f) You are Spurlock, how do you solve this problema?

4. Make a Power Point presentation or a poster to present your answers to the class.

5. Watch the documental againg or read the next part,

Super Size me (Continuation)

After five days Spurlocks has gained 9.5 pounds (4.5 kg) (From 185.5 to about 195 pounds).It is not long before he fins himself experimencing depression, and he claims that this periods of depression, lack of energy and headaches could be relieved by eating a McDonald’s meal. His general practitioner describes him as being “adicted”.At his secondweigh-in, he had gained another 8 pounds (3.5 kg), putting his weight at 203.5 lb(92 kg), By the end of the month he weighs abot 210 pouns (95.5 kg), an increase of about 24.5 pounds (about 11kg).Because he could only eat McDonald’s food for a month, Spurlock refused to take any medicamention at all. At one weighin Morgan lost 1lb from the previous weigh-in, and a nutritionist hypothesized that he had los muscle mass,wich weighs more tan an indentical volumen of fat.At another weigh-in, a nutritionist said that he gained 17 pounds (8.5 kg) in 12 days.

Spurlock’s girlfriend, Alexandra Jamieson, says that Spurlock lost much of his nergy during his experiment. It was not clear at the time whether or not Spurlock would be able to complete the ful month of the high.fat, high-carbohydrate diet, and family and friend began to express concern.

On Day 21, Spurlock has heart palpitations. His internist, Dr. Daryl Isaacs, advises him to stop what he is doing inmmediately to avoid any serious health problems. Hr compsres Spulock with the protagonist played by Nicolas Cage in the movie “Leaving Las Vegas”, who intentionally drinks himself to death in a matter weeks. Despite this warning, Spurlock decides to continue the experiment. On March 2nd, Spurlock makes it to day 30 and achieves his goal. In thirty days, he “Supersized” he meals nine times along the way ( five of wich were in Texas, three in New York City) . His doctosrs are surprised at the degree of deterioration in Spurlock’s health. He notes that he has eaten as many McDonald’s meals as most nutritionist say the ordary person should eat in 8 years( he ate 90 meal, wich is close to the amount of meals consumed once a month in an 8-year period).

Summary of:

http:/www.Youtube.com/watch?v=mQj2u4ap5bo

6. Work whith the same team. Discuss and answer the following questions:

a) Do you think there is a negaive effect on Spurlock’s physical health? If so, mention some examples.

b) Do you think there is a negative effect on Spurlocks mental health? If so, mention some examples.

7. Divide the class into two to do a debate about the case Super Size Me.

8. Write a brief reflection of your learning experience from the debate and the activity.

Check the rubic in appendix 4 to know the evaluatin guideline

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