Fed Up: Documentary exposes truth about US food production
“Fed Up,” a documentary about the truth behind processed foods in the United States, will be shown from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, in Cordier Auditorium on the North Manchester campus. It is free and open to the public.
The video will be shown in conjunction to the program Be Well Wabash County, an initiative striving to “move Wabash County toward better wellbeing by promoting life balance in the areas of Community, Purpose, Mind and Body,” according to its Facebook page.
Before the film, a volunteer panel of local health-care professionals will briefly discuss nutrition in the United States. Among the panelists are Robert Beckett, Pharm.D., director of the Drug Information Center and assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the MU Pharmacy Program; Dr. Jamie Lindsay of NuStart Lifestyle Strategies; and Dr. Nate Trump of Midwest Eye.
According to the “Fed Up” website, in 2012 Americans consumed an average of 765 grams of sugar every five days, or 130 pounds each year. In addition, it was estimated that by 2015, one-third of the population of the U.S. would be overweight.
Sugar is in a majority of the foods that Americans consume daily; we often do not even realize it is there because it is disguised by words such as “corn syrup,” “crystal dextrose,” “fructose,” “lactose” and “maltose.”
The documentary delivers thought-provoking discussion points about the food industry; how processed foods affect our health, childhood obesity and governmental policies regarding these topics.
The documentary’s trailer ends with the statement: “Once you know the truth behind your food, you’ll be fed up.” Fed up enough, its producers hope, that you will be motivated to make a change. You may choose to take the challenge of going sugar-free for 10 days in order to learn how prevalent sugar is in everyday life.
The presentation is part of the Values, Ideas and the Arts series at the University.
Prepared by Emily Barrand, communications assistant.
Oct. 26, 2015