The document discusses the topic of obesity and fast food. It makes three key points: 1. Obesity is caused by an unhealthy diet high in sugar and fat combined with a lack of exercise. It is described as an epidemic, with around 27% of children now overweight. 2. A study found that fast food consumption has increased greatly among children since 1970 and that fast food leads to consuming more calories, fat, sugar and carbs and fewer healthy foods. 3. A typical fast food meal has much higher energy density than traditional meals, so a diet high in fast food increases the risk of weight gain, even if the amount of food eaten stays the same.

1. Food Glorious Food
In your books: decide on
the odd one out and why

2. Food Glorious Food
Can you think of a reason why the
other three could be the odd one out?

3. What are our focuses today?

4. Does anybody
know a film about
fast food?
We are going to watch the first five
minutes of Supersize Me by Morgan
Spurlock.
As we are watching, write down any
FACTS we are told or statistics.
Write down anything that surprises
you
What are the key points made in
this opening extract?

5. Discuss each of the statements on the
sheet and rank them from 1 to 10,
putting the statement which best
sums up the main idea of the film
opening first.
1. Everything is big in America.
2. Families in America no longer cook dinner every single day.
3. Obesity is one of the major causes of preventable death.
4. McDonald’s has more than 30,000 restaurants throughout the world.
5. McDonald’s are everywhere – even hospitals.
6. America’s weight problems are caused solely by eating McDonald’s.
7. America is the fattest nation in the world.
8. McDonald’s has been sued by overweight people.
9. Eating too much fast food might be dangerous to health.
10. 60 per cent of all US adults are overweight or obese.

6. In pairs…
 …discuss each of the statements on the sheet
and rank them from 1 to 10, putting the
statement which best sums up the main idea
of the film opening first.
Now join up with another
pair to make a square…
 Compare your rankings
 Combine your findings to produce a top five
ideas – write these down in your book

7. Obesity is being so overweight it’s bad for your health. Whether
you are obese or not is worked out by looking at how tall you are
and how much you weigh. It’s usually caused by two simple factors
– an unhealthy diet (typically too rich in sugar and fats) and not
doing enough exercise to burn off the calories consumed.
More and more young people in the UK are becoming obese – it's
been described as a modern epidemic. Around 27 per cent of
children are now overweight and research suggests the main
problem is a continual reduction in the amount of exercise children
take.
Effects of being overweight include problems with the joints and
bones, a condition that produces headaches and affects vision,
hyperventilation (leading to drowsiness during the day, snoring and
even heart failure), gall bladder disease, polycystic ovary
syndrome, high blood pressure, high levels of blood fats and
diabetes. There are also marked psychological effects leading to
low self-esteem.

8. A study in America has suggested that fast food might be
contributing to this as fast food consumption has increased fivefold
among children since 1970.
Fast food lovers consumed more fats, sugars and carbohydrates and
fewer fruits and non-starchy vegetables than youngsters who didn't
eat fast food. They also consumed 187 more daily calories, which
adds up to about six pounds more per year.
A typical fast food meal has a very high energy density and is more
than one and a half times higher than an average traditional British
meal and two and a half times higher than a traditional African meal.
Consequently, a diet high in fast foods will increase a person's risk of
weight gain – even though they may be eating no more than they
would in a normal meal.

9. Read the text in front of you –
find out the following
The main purpose of the text
The main points the text makes
The way the points have been
presented, eg. The use of
paragraphs, headings etc. – what
effect do these have on the text?
How particular language choices
have been made eg. Persuasive
features, emotive features

10. Now go back to your original
groups
Take it in turns to tell the rest of
the group what your text was and
what its purpose was
Decide on an answer and a
justification for the question:
“Are the food companies solely to
blame for this epidemic? Is fast
food really that bad for you?”
A spokesperson must be ready to
report back your group’s findings

11. Homework
 Keep a food diary of what you eat
this week for discussion in a week’s
time so we can reflect on our
personal food choices
 Include snacks and drinks you may
have throughout the day
To be posted on your Blog!