Documentary - Its a Fat, fat world

I watched this last night, and it was scary! Has anyone else seen it?

DOCUMENTARY - IT?S A FAT, FAT WORLD (Eastern States schedule) This documentary looks at how it is possible for 800 million people in the world to be suffering from hunger while, at the same time, over one billion people globally being overweight. Both conditions are a sign of malnutrition and It's A Fat Fat World looks at how obesity is no longer limited to wealthy countries. There has been an outbreak of obesity in developing countries and economist Barry Popkin, who specialises in public health issues, presents his research on the world?s changing eating habits throughout the documentary. The documentary travels to the countries where obesity is increasingly becoming a problem and these include China, Egypt and Mexico. The number of cases of obesity in China has doubled in the last ten years, jumping from 30 to 60 million. Egypt has a record number of 60% of women who are obese and Mexico's obesity figures are almost as big as those of the US. Through looking at obesity as a global issue, this documentary looks at how multinational food companies will be forced to take a more active role in assisting in the reduction of world wide obesity. (From France, in English, Mandarin, Arabic and Spanish, English subtitles) CC WS

i havent seen it yet.. but now I REALLY want too!

Is it on dvd, or what?  Sounds really interesting.  One of my BAs is in Econ, so I love the fact that it's got an econ guy's perspective. 

It was on a SBS broadcast (world TV station). I am not sure where you could get a copy - unless you emailed barry popkin and asked?

Hmm.  Well, in googling my options, I came across this article that's about it:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/05/15/hea lth/main509230.shtml

Sounds fascinating!

a friend of mine emailed me this article this morning, i don't know the original source, but it is something else to read on this topic.  sorry it's so long, i wasn't sure what i should edit out:

  There are many unexpected sources of MSG, including low fat
milk, natural flavoring and soy products.  Bush and his corporate
cronies are pushing a new law to give food producers immunity from
lawsuits.--db


(posted 6/13 by Dr. Mercola who puts out regular reports on
    nutrition and health)

MSG - The Slow Poisoning Of the Masses

MSG Hides Behind 25+ Names, Such As 'Natural Flavouring'

MSG Is Also In Your Favorite Coffee Shops And Drive-Ups

I wondered if there could be an actual chemical causing the massive obesity
epidemic, so did a friend of mine, John Erb.   He was a research assistant
at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, and spent years working
for the government.   He made an amazing discovery while going through
scientific journals for a book he was writing called "The Slow Poisoning of
America".

In hundreds of studies around the world, scientists were creating obese mice
and rats to use in diet or diabetes test studies. No strain of rat or mice
is naturally obese, so the scientists have to create them. They make these
morbidly obese creatures by injecting them with MSG when they are first
born. The MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates; causing
rats (and humans?) to become obese. They even have a title for the fat
rodents they create: "MSG-Treated Rats".

I was shocked too. I went to my kitchen, checking the cupboards and the
fridge. MSG was in everything: The Campbell's soups, the Hostess Doritos,
the Lays flavoured potato chips, Top Ramen, Betty Crocker Hamburger
Helper, Heinz canned gravy, Swanson frozen prepared meals, Kraft salad
dressings, especially the 'healthy low fat' ones.

The items that didn't have MSG marked on the product label had something
called ''Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein'', which is just another name for
Monosodium Glutamate.

It was shocking to see just how many of the foods we feed our children
everyday are filled with this stuff. They hide MSG under many different
names in order to fool those who carefully read the ingredient list, so they
don't catch on. (Other names for MSG: 'Accent' - 'Aginomoto' - 'Natural Meet
Tenderizer', etc) But it didn't stop there. When our family went out to eat,
we started asking at the restaurants what menu items had MSG.

Many employees, even the managers, swore they didn't use MSG. But when we
ask for the ingredient list, which they grudgingly provided, sure enough MSG
and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein were everywhere:

Burger King

McDonalds

Wendy's

Taco Bell

And every restaurant like, TGIF, Chilis', Applebee's and Denny's use MSG in
abundance.

Kentucky Fried Chicken seemed to be the WORST offender: MSG was in EVERY
chicken dish, salad dressing and gravy. No wonder I loved to eat that
coating on the skin, their secret spice was MSG.

So, why is MSG in so may of the foods we eat?

Is it a preservative or a vitamin?? Not according to my friend John. In the
book he wrote, an expose of the food additive industry called "The Slow
Poisoning of America" he said that MSG is added to food for the addictive
effect it has on the human body. http://www.spofamerica.com

Even the propaganda website sponsored by the food manufacturers lobby
group supporting MSG at: http://www.msgfactscom/facts/msgfact12.html
explains that the reason they add it to food is to make people EAT MORE
OF THEIR PRODUCTS.

A study of the elderly showed that people eat more of the foods it is added
to.

The Glutamate Association lobby group says eating more benefits the elderly,
but what does it do to the rest of us? 'Betcha can't eat just one', takes on
a whole new meaning where MSG is concerned! And we wonder why the nation
is overweight?

The MSG manufacturers themselves admit that it addicts people to their
products. It makes people choose their product over others, and makes
people eat more of it than they would if MSG wasn't added.

Not only is MSG scientifically proven to cause obesity, it is an addictive
substance! Since its introduction into the American food supply fifty years
ago, MSG has been added in larger and larger doses to the pre-packaged
meals, soups, snacks and fast foods we are tempted to eat everyday.

The FDA has set no limits on how much of it can be added to food. They
claim it's safe to eat in any amount. How can they claim it safe when there
are hundreds of scientific studies with titles like these?:

*       'The monosodium glutamate (MSG) obese rat as a model for the study
of exercise in obesity'. GobattoCA, Mello MA, Souza CT, Ribeiro IA.Res
Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 2002.

*       'Adrenalectomy abolishes the food-induced hypothalamic serotonin
release in both normal and monosodium glutamate-obese rats'. Guimaraes RB,
Telles MM, Coelho VB, Mori C, Nascimento CM, Ribeiro Brain Res Bull. 2002
Aug.

*       'Obesity induced by neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment in
spontaneously hypertensive rats: an animal model of multiple risk factors'.
Iwase M, Yamamoto M, Iino K, IchikawaK, Shinohara N, Yoshinari Fujishima
Hypertens Res. 1998 Mar.

*       'Hypothalamic lesion induced by injection of monosodium glutamate in
suckling period and subsequent development of obesity'. Tanaka K, Shimada M,
Nakao K, Kusunoki Exp Neurol. 1978 Oct.

Yes, that last study was not a typo, it WAS written in 1978. Both the
"medical research community" and "food manufacturers" have known about
MSG's side effects for decades! Many more studies mentioned in John Erb's
book link MSG to Diabetes, Migraines and headaches, Autism, ADHD and even
Alzheimer's . But what can we do to stop the food manufactures from dumping
fattening and addictive MSG into our food supply and causing the obesity
epidemic we now see?

Even as you read this, G. W. Bush and his corporate supporters are pushing a
Bill through Congress called the "Personal Responsibility in Food
Consumption Act" also known as the "Cheeseburger Bill", this sweeping law
bans anyone from suing food manufacturers, sellers and distributors. Even if
it comes out that they purposely added an addictive chemical to their foods.
Read about it for yourself at: http://www.yahoo.com. The Bill has already
been rushed through the House of Representatives, and is due for the same
rubber stamp at Senate level. It is important that Bush and his corporate
supporters get it through before the media lets everyone know about 'MSG,
the intentional Nicotine for food'.

Several months ago, John Erb took his book and his concerns to one of the
highest government health officials in Canada. While sitting in the
Government office, the official told him "Sure, I know how bad MSG is, I
wouldn't touch the stuff." But this top level government official refused to
tell the public what he knew.

The big media doesn't want to tell the public either, fearing legal issues
with their advertisers. It seems that the fallout on fast food industry may
hurt their profit margin. The food producers and restaurants have been
addicting us to their products for years, and now we are paying the price
for it. Our children should not be cursed with obesity caused by an
addictive food additive. But what can I do about it?... I'm just one voice.

What can I do to stop the poisoning of our children, while our governments
are insuring financial protection for the industry that is poisoning us.

This e-mail is going out to everyone I know in an attempt to tell you the
truth that the corporate owned politicians and media won't tell you. The
best way you can help to save yourself and your children from this
drug-induced epidemic, is to forward this email to everyone. With any luck,
it will circle the globe before politicians can pass the legislation
protecting those who are poisoning us. The food industry learned a lot from
the tobacco industry. Imagine if big tobacco had a bill like this in place
before someone blew the whistle on Nicotine?

If you are one of the few who can still believe that MSG is good for us, and
you don't believe what John Erb has to say, see for yourself. Go to the
National Library of Medicine, at http://www.pubmed.com. Type in the words
"MSG Obese" and read a few of the 115 medical studies that appear.

We the public, do not want to be rats in one giant experiment and we do not
approve of food that makes us into a nation of obese, lethargic, addicted
sheep, feeding the food industry's bottom line, while waiting for the heart
transplant, diabetic induced amputation, blindness or other obesity induced,
life threatening disorders.

Consider your diet and ask yourself if you want this poison. Ask your
friends to look into the facts too.

  _____ 

 MORE ON MSG   <http://www.mercola.com/2002/nov/9/msg.htm>
www.mercola.com/2002/nov/9/msg.htm


Dr. Mercola's Comment:

Most are aware that MSG is something that is wise to avoid due to its
negative health effects. Most are not aware that MSG is added to most
infant dormulas. Soy formulas in particular are loaded with MSG.

This table displays some hidden sources of MSG:

These ingredients ALWAYS contain MSG:

Glutamate

Glutamic acid

Monosodium glutamate

Textured protein

Hydrolyzed protein

Monopotassium glutamate

Calcium caseinate

Sodium caseinate

Gelatin

Yeast extract

Yeast food

Autolyzed yeast

These ingredients OFTEN contain MSG or create MSG during processing:

Flavors & Flavorings

Seasonings

Natural flavors and flavorings

Natural pork flavoring

Natural beef flavoring

Natural chicken flavoring

Soy sauce

Soy protein isolate

Soy protein

Bouillon

Stock

Broth

Malt extract

Malt flavoring

Barley malt

Whey protein

Carrageenan

Maltodextrin


Pectin

Enzymes

Protease


Corn starch

Citric acid

Powdered milk


anything Protein fortified

anything Enzyme modified

anything Ultra-pasteurized

Some unexpected sources of MSG:

Salad dressings

Frozen meals

Packaged and restaurant soups

Cheese

Reduced fat milk

Chewing gum

Ice cream

Cookies

Vitamin enriched foods


Beverages

Candy

Cigarettes

Medications

I.V. Materials

Supplements, particularly minerals

For more information on this topic please visit our MSG links page below.

Related Articles:

The Danger of MSG and <http://www.mercola.com/2002/jun/8/msg_
vaccines.htm>
How it is Hidden in Vaccines

MSG Links Page <http://www.mercola.com/article/links/msg_link s.htm> 
Optimal Wellness Center

 

wow - every time I read something like this it makes me want to grow my own food and say to heck with grocery stores...

between msg and high fructose corn syrup....  it's truly no wonder so many people are fat

doesn't surprise me either that food companies are being sheltered from law suits

Is it ethical to put non-nutritional and addictive substances in food? I don't know but I think that food company executives would say that they are acting in the best interests of their shareholders as they are legally obligated to do.

if this is the case, then I guess I wont be eating anything at all. This is way to scary. but what can we do about it?

MSG in my whey protein! What the heck can I do to up my protein then? Fish has mercury, whey protein has msg, peanuts are high in calories, most meats are high in protein but high in cals too.

When will all this screwing of the public ever end?

bill (feels like a test rat right now)

Yeah!  What billb said!

Um, my guess is that the screwing of the public will never end until consumers show businesses that it's profitable to treat us the way we want to be treated.  And of course, there are a lot of us who have not the first clue about all of this stuff to begin with - look at McDonalds' annual sales for crying out loud.

But, I'm going to check at Earth Fare on the protein powder. They have a lot of organic, hormone-free, antibiotic-free meat and poultry products so maybe they'll have an additive-free protein powder too.  I'll let ya know what I find out.

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. -Thomas Jefferson

I'm pretty sure that MSG e-mail is part of a viral marketing campaign for John Erb's book.

I use a lot of products that are on that list, and I haven't had any difficulty dropping weight...  I'm choosing to take those statements with a grain of salt.  =P

Did you know that research is showing that by 2007 1 in every 2 hispanics will be diabetic?

Original Post by rahana316:

if this is the case, then I guess I wont be eating anything at all. This is way to scary. but what can we do about it?

That's what I'm sayin'!!

 

Ana, here I come!

braaaaaaainnssssssss

Warm gooey braiiiiinnnnnnsss... wait, what???

riccilious:

• Promotion of starvation diets or habits that exhibit signs of an eating disorder ("pro-ana", "pro-mia", etc.) is prohibited.

Even if you are joking. It's not amusing.

Original Post by chriswain:

I use a lot of products that are on that list, and I haven't had any difficulty dropping weight...  I'm choosing to take those statements with a grain of salt.  =P

On the contrary, I rarely use any of the products on that list (the only one is soy sauce, occasionally) and I have a very difficult time dropping weight. 

I hardly think that weight loss or gain can be blamed on one ingredient. There is no magic bullet.