Don't Eat This Book: Fast Food and the Supersizing of America

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The literary debut of the funniest and most incisive new voice to come along since Michael Moore-and the acclaimed director of the film phenomenon of the year.

Can man live on fast food alone? Morgan Spurlock tried to do just that. For thirty days, he ate nothing but three "squares" a day from McDonald's as part of an investigation into the effects of fast food on American health. The resulting documentary won him resounding applause and a worldwide release that broke box-office records. Audiences were captivated by Spurlock's experiment, during which he gained twenty-five pounds, his blood pressure skyrocketed, and his libido all but disappeared.

But this story goes far beyond Spurlock's good-humored "Mc-Sickness." He traveled across the country-into schools, hospitals, and people's homes -to investigate school lunch programs, the marketing of fast food, and the declining emphasis on health and physical education. He looks at why fast food is so tasty, cheap, and ultimately seductive, and what Americans can do to turn the rising tide of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes that have accompanied its ever-growing popularity. He interviewed experts in twenty U.S. cities-from surgeon generals and kids to lawmakers and marketing gurus-who share their research, opinions, and "gut feelings" on our ever-expanding girth and what we can all do to offset a health crisis of supersized proportions.

In this groundbreaking, hilarious book, "benevolent muckraker" Morgan Spurlock debuts a wry investigative voice that will appeal to anyone interested in the health of our country, our children, and ourselves.

Reader Reviews:

After learning that over-consumption had become a leading cause of death in the U.S., Morgan Spurlock decided to spend a month eating only at McDonald's. (McDonald's was picked as a symbol of fast-food in general - not because of being especially non-nutritious.) The book details his "adventures" along the way (increased weight, cholesterol, headaches), as well as providing a plethora of interesting background information, and an interview with Jared of Subway fame - all in a witty, yet important way. It serves as a "companion piece" to his 1993 documentary "Super Size Me."

The U.S. is the fattest nation on earth - 65% of adults are overweight, 30% obese - with the poor and minorities especially afflicted. This, in turn, leads to increased diabetes (source of heart attacks, strokes, blindness, nerve damage, and kidney failure). We're eating more food, more food that's bad for us (especially fast-food), and getting less exercise (about 60% exercise rarely or never).

The final impetus for Spurlock was reading about lawsuits against McDonalds - blaming it for making people fat. Spurlock is by no means oblivious to the lack of personal control involved; however, there are also issues of lack of nutritional labeling, and vendors pushing supersizing. Regardless, his mind made up, Spurlock garners three physicians to monitor his health changes, as well as a nutritionist, and begins a month of exclusive eating at McDonalds, without exercise, and super-sizing all the way.

Spurlock points out that McDonalds didn't attack him in the media - rationalizing that they chose not to because they did not want to damage their image. (They do use libel suits, though.) Instead, McDonald's used hired guns and paid attack dogs who operate under the guise of lobby groups - king of like the political pros! Thus, McDonald's could sit back above the fray and simply say "We see no reason to respond to Morgan Spurlock when so many other experts have already spoken out on the film's distortions and irresponsibility."

A McDonald's public relations flak did try to smooth waters by pointing out that "Last year we sold 150 million salads." Impressive, until Spurlock points out that this represents less than 1% of its customers. Worse yet, he also reports that the salads have unhealthy fats (eg. dressing) associated with them that are almost as bad as a regular fast-food meal.

McDonald's promised significant reductions in trans fats by 2/03 - but it didn't happen. Taste, and costs became higher priorities.

There are ten teaspoons of sugar in a 12-ounce Coke or Pepsi, states Spurlock. (Sounds ridiculous to me, but I'm certain he's correct. I drink diet soda, which still comes under criticism in the book.) Some research has found that sugar releases small amounts of natural opiates within the brain, creating an addiction issue. More interesting, perhaps, is learning that sugar is in all McDonald's items except unsweetened drinks and sausage, and that his nutritionist resource estimated he was taking in about one lb. of sugar/day during the 30-day McDonald's binge.

Wonder why more and more drugs are no longer effective against infections, etc.? The tons fed to farm animals en route to McDonald's (and to be fair, most every other meat purveyor) is part of the problem - creating enormous opportunity for mutant bugs to form. And if that doesn't give you cause to pause, Spurlock goes on to tell us that dead dogs and cats from the pound are also turned into animal food, and thereby come back to us.

Food advertising to children, increasing corporate control of school cafeterias, lack of physical activity in school, as well as fast-food vending within schools and hospitals also receive Spurlock's upsetness, though he also goes on to point out good examples as well - eg. hospitals and schools giving fast-food franchises the boot, and efforts to offer more healthful alternatives.

Then we get the results: Spurlock gained 18 lbs. the first two weeks, 24.5 total over the 30 days. In addition, he suffered headaches, felt tightness in his chest, incurred a large increase in cholesterol levels, and even showed signs of liver damage. The "good news" is that after going "cold turkey" off his self-destructive diet and going back to regular exercise, Spurlock recovered.

Time for me to rethink my eating habits!I was skeptical when a few of my friends and I decided to watch Super-Size Me. Everyone was talking about it, and we wanted to see what the fuss was about. We bought McDonalds before we popped the DVD in, and settled down with our burgers and fries to watch away. It was the last time I ever ate McDonalds. The same way Spurlock has of making his information accessible, interesting, and horrifying in Super-Size Me, he carries over into Don't Eat This Book.

Fans of Spurlock's will of course love this book, but you don't need to be a fan of his to enjoy this. You don't need to be a `food nazi' or an activist. Everyone should read this book and I think the vast majority will enjoy it, but also appreciate it and its information. For instance, while the movie focused on McDonald's, no one is safe from scrutiny in this book, not even Subway. And, the information uncovered about America's cafeteria will shock and horrify you.

Is the whole book one shock after another? No, it's information that will help you make the best possible choices for you and those you love. But is it both compelling and interesting? Absolutely.

Buy a copy for yourself, then read it and give it to a friend or family member you love, making them promise to pass it on.

Highest recommendations.
The book did not put me off Mc Donalds at all. I think that we cannot blame junk food for our obeasity. It is our lack of will power that we must blame. If we had enough will power, then why are we fat? Junk food is tasty, convenient, can be purchased almost anywhere and is cheap. We should maybe just cut down on big meals; like Mig Mac and eat smaller meals; smaller food sets, instead. I bet that Spurlock eats junk food sometimes too! Spurlock is repeating the same mumble jumble from his documentary "Supersize me". He isn't introducing anything new in this book or even in his films. He's basically regurgating the same message over and over again;

"Eating too much fast food is bad for you"

....

Gee, you think so?! I don't see why people are praising this guy. What is it?! Are people just so damn stupid these days? Spurlock and his followers please...don't BITE ME for my critique of this fame seeking sham. Spurlock if you're sick of us eating so much in America just go to Africa and starve like they do over there. Have a nice day.


I picked this up after seeing Super Size Me, when I was still in my "McDonald's is evil" mindset. I guess I was expecting Spurlock to expand more on issues he had touched on in the movie. Instead, he mostly rehashed the same issues- American obesity, fast food's government ties- in the same way they had been presented in the film. I think I would have found this book much more interesting had I not seen the movie first and was reading the information for the first time.
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