FED UP is a documentary narrated by Katie Couric and directed by Stephanie Soechtig.  Couric also executive produces the film  with Laurie David of an Inconvenient Truth.

This film opens on May 9th and it really is an eye-opening experience to see how much sugar is now placed in food. Think about the foods that you are eating everyday from sodas, prepackaged meals and candy that can now be found in almost every retail shopping store. Sugar is everywhere  and we need to know that effects that it is having on our bodies but also, most important of our children.

 

Did you know that in 1980 there were zero cases of Type 2 Diabetes diagnosed in adolescents ages 8-19?

In 2010 that number has risen to 57,638 of documented cases.

What do you think the number is for 2014?

It is estimated that American s have doubled their sugar intake from 1977-2000.

 

How much sugar do you think you really need in your diet?  The answer is none your body requires NO sugar however the American Heart Association says a daily Allowance is 6-9 teaspoons.  I just learned/ realized
that on food labels sugar is not listed as a % it only stats how many grams are in the item.  Every teaspoon of sugar  equals 4 grams.  Go check out your favorite snack food or soda and see how much is added into that one product and now think about what else you are consuming every day.   It is pretty scary to see how much we as a country are consuming.  I hope this will start making you think twice about what you are putting in your body.

Recently I attended a press conference for FED UP and was intrigued by what Katie Couric, Laurie David, Stephanie Soechtig had to say about their experiences of making this movie.  In the movie 3 young children talk very candidly about their feeling with weight and food. They had filmed themselves using flip camera so they were very honest and not intimidated with a film crew questioning them.  The only young girl who is overweight says that she does exercise 3 times a week and avidly walks her dog but the weight doesn’t come off.  But it depends on what she is consuming as well.

Some key take aways that I thought really hit home were:

Katie Couric mentioned to stop using food as a reward.  If you do something correctly you will get a M&M. What kind of message are we sending to children?  Why can’t it be a strawberry or a blueberry.  Katie also discusses the trickery when chatting with young children and their effect of body image. There is a new term TOFI Thin Outside Fat Inside.  It is more important to discuss your inside and what is being consumed.  Mention to young ones how every body part is connected and you want your insides to be healthy.  Our society has too many pressures of being thin.

Laurie David says cook or be cooked. Pick a day of the week and prepare your meals ahead of time so that you can enjoy them with your family. Sugar is the new fat and the solution is in the kitchen. You can get your children involved by preparing fresh and healthy meals together.

Here are some startling fact that I learned as well from the conference:

• Sugar is addictive. Research shows it’s more addictive than alcohol and tobacco, even cocaine. It alters the brain chemistry to produce cravings. This goes far beyond the two teaspoons you put in your coffee, there is loads of sugar added to all the foods we are eating every day. Of the 600,000 items sold in the supermarket, 80% have added sugar.

• One soda a day increases a child’s chance of obesity by 60%.

 

• Eating a healthy whole meal isn’t expensive as you think! You can feed a family of four two Big Macs, a cheeseburger, six chicken McNuggets, two medium and two small fries, two medium and two small sodas at McDonald’s for about $28. Or you can prepare a roasted chicken with vegetables with a simple salad and milk for about $14.

• The stats about school lunches and school districts contracts with soda/fast food companies are staggering. More than one half of school districts allow brand-name fast foods to be offered as part of school meals or as a la carte items and more than one half of districts allowed schools to sell soft drinks, including sugar-sweetened beverages, which are a leading source of empty calories among school-aged youth.

• Individuals who drink one to two sugar-sweetened beverages per day have a 26 percent higher risk for developing type II diabetes.

• We are allowing food and beverage companies to market these sugar heavy products to young children, completely unregulated. Foods being promoted next to their favorite TV shows, in their video games and at their schools.  We have a 24/7 food environment that is constantly promoting junk food and sugary drinks to everyone.

 

 

Stephanie Soechtig, Laurie David, Katie Couric & Dr. Mark Hyman

 

On May 9th  head to your local theater and check out FED UP – take your children along as well for this opportunity to make a difference in your diet.    Are you ready to be sugar-free?  Take the 1o day challenge and feel the change.

FED UP Online

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About the Film

FED UP – The film the food industry doesn’t want you to see. In theaters May 9.

For the past 30 years, everything we thought we knew about food and exercise is dead wrong. FED UP is the film the food industry doesn’t want you to see. From Katie Couric, Laurie David (Oscar winning producer of AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH) and director Stephanie Soechtig, FED UP will change the way you eat forever.