Could you survive the Fed Up challenge?

By now you may have seen the documentary called Fed Up. Directed by Stephanie Soechtig, the film challenges everything everything we’ve been told about food and exercise and the cause of obesity. The real culprit? Sugar.

Just look at these alarming facts about sugar consumption in North America:
‘ A 20 oz bottle of pop contains approximately 17 teaspoons of sugar.
‘ Individuals who drink one to two sugar-sweetened beverages per day have a 26 percent higher risk for developing type II diabetes.
‘ Kids watch an average of 4,000 food-related ads every year (10/day).
‘ 98 percent of food related ads that children view are for products high in fat, sugar and sodium.
‘ More than 9 million adolescents (children and teens 6-19 years old) are considered overweight.

I spoke to director Stephanie Soechtig and executive producer Heather Reisman about the impact of Fed Up and what they hope viewers take away from the documentary.

BH: You were likely aware of the effects of sugar. Was there anything you learned through filming that shocked you further?
SS: I thought I was actually a really healthier eater. I’m a vegetarian and I only buy organic fruit and vegetables, but what I found was that I was eating a lot more processed foods than I thought. I also bought low-fat products not realizing that they had more sugar.
HR: I was aware of the issue, but over the course of filming I learned a lot about the secret places sugar is hidden. It’s often in foods that are promoted as diet and healthier.

BH: What do you hope the public, and even government officials, will take away from watching the film?
SS: I hope people walk away with a new sense of awareness and start cooking at home more, and I hope it empowers people to take action, whether it’s eliminating pop and junk food in schools to changing the way foods are marketed. I think it’s time we put public health ahead of corporate wealth.

Could you cut added sugar out of your diet for 10 days? Visit fedupmovie.com to sign up for the Fed Up challenge and receive tips and recipes to help you along the way.

Related:
‘ 10 shocking sources of sugar
‘ Are you eating too much sugar?
‘ 4 ways to eat less sugar