A review of "FED UP"

 Written by 
Rosavida Cruz, Dietetic Intern SFSU

“Fed Up,” a film produced and narrated by journalist Katie Couric, is one of the most recently released food documentaries that focuses on the United States’ food and agriculture industry and their role in the obesity epidemic. The film traces the history of food culture in the United States from the Industrial Era to the big business that the food industry has become today. 
   
     The film also follows the personal lives of a few adolescents who are experiencing negative health woes related to obesity, providing an eye-opening perspective on the day-to-day struggles they face with diet and weight. Interviews with high-caliber nutrition policy experts such as Marion Nestle, Margot Wootan, Dr. David Kessler, Michael Simon, President Bill Clinton, and Michael Pollan delineate the politics surrounding the health state of the country and how “Big Food” contributes to the growing number people diagnosed with preventable diet-related illnesses.  The film’s dynamic and effective use of typography to support statistics and other data is visually compelling to the viewer, ensuring that what is depicted is committed to memory. The validity of the statements, however, depends on the credibility of their sources.

    Fed Up is a thought-provoking documentary that provides great insight into the power of Big Food and its influence on people and many large organizations, such as the USDA to the American Medical Association. The overall message of the film could be perceived as relatively one-sided as it demonizes the food industry as the monster that is making America fat. Whether the responsibility for the growing obesity crisis is that of the consumer or of the food industry is up to you to decide. “Fed Up” is a film by Stephanie Soechtig and is available on DVD/Blu-Ray. Please visit http://www.fedupmovie.com for more information.

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