STRATEGIC ALLIANCE NEWSLETTER

August 2004

Super Size Me at the State Capital
Strategic Alliance co-sponsored a free viewing of the award winning documentary "Super Size Me." A tremendous success with nearly 900 attendees, the screening was followed by a very special panel discussion, featuring California State Senator Deborah Ortiz and two stars from the movie: Kelly Brownel (Director of Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders) and Mark Fenton (Host of America's Walking).

Super Size Me at the State Capital, continued
During the course of the panel discussion, panelists highlighted the role that physical activity played in filmmaker Morgan Spurlock's 25+ pound weight gain. While the movie focuses almost exclusively on the connection between Spurlock's 30 day McDonald's binge and his ensuing health problems, panelists pointed out that his drastic reduction in physical activity undoubtedly contributed as well. A fit and trim New Yorker used to walking all the time, Spurlock confined himself to less than 5,000 steps per day, the US average. In the movie, Spurlock points out that just walking from his apartment to work used up nearly 2,000, forcing him to take cabs for the rest of the day. In contrast, however, he never even came close to the 5,000 step maximum during his stay in Texas. Panelists explained that unlike urban areas like New York, cities in Texas follow an urban sprawl model in which physical inactivity becomes the defacto norm. Morgan Spurlock's experience in Texas is an example of the community conditions faced by an increasing number of Americans, in which physical activity is no longer incorporated into the planning and development process and the car becomes the most realistic transportation option.

To counteract this growing trend, serious efforts must be applied to changing the social norms around physical activity and nutrition, through advocacy, policy and public participation. Strategic Alliance's ENACT tool provides practical how to information for improving local activity environments and his available at http://www.eatbettermovemore.org/enact.html.