🍔 Fast Food Facts
What is a calorie?
A unit of energy in food.
What is the difference between a serving size and a portion?
Serving size is the standardized amount listed on a label; portion is how much someone actually chooses/eats
What is a target audience?
The group an advertisement is designed to attract.
How long did Morgan Spurlock's experiment last?
30 days.
“This diet works for EVERYONE!” contains what major red flag?
An absolute/guaranteed claim.
Which nutrient on a Nutrition Facts label should you check when comparing how salty foods are?
Sodium
What is upsizing?
Choosing a larger portion or size, usually for an additional cost.
“Available this week ONLY!” is what marketing technique? →
Limited-time offer/urgency.
When was Morgan allowed to Super Size his meal?
When the employee offered it.
Why isn't a celebrity testimonial strong scientific evidence?
one person's experience/popularity does not establish cause or show that everyone will get the same result.
If one serving has 300 calories and you eat two servings, how many calories did you consume?
600 calories
If a package contains 2 servings and you eat the entire package, what generally happens to the listed nutrient amounts?
They double.
A restaurant pays a popular TikTok creator to promote a meal. What technique is being used?
Celebrity/influencer marketing.
Why did doctors become concerned as the experiment continued?
They observed negative changes in his health measurements, including concerns about his liver.
Carbohydrates automatically cause weight gain.” Why is this misleading?
Carbohydrates are an important macronutrient and body-weight change cannot be attributed automatically to one nutrient.
Name TWO nutrition amounts that may increase when a meal is upsized.
Calories, sodium, added sugar, saturated fat, etc.
Why might “Make it large for only $1 more!” influence someone's decision?
It emphasizes a small price increase while offering a larger portion.
Why might a restaurant offer points or free items through an app?
To encourage repeat visits/purchases and customer loyalty.
Why doesn't Morgan's experience prove that everyone would experience the exact same results?
The documentary followed one person under unusual conditions; individual responses vary and the experiment lacked the controls/sample size needed to generalize to everyone.
What's wrong with saying, “This diet is trending, so it must be healthy”? →
Popularity isn't evidence of nutritional quality or effectiveness.
Why can comparing only calories give an incomplete picture of two meals?
Foods with similar calories can have different amounts of sodium, fiber, protein, added sugar, saturated fat, and other nutrients
Someone says, “The large is always the best choice because it costs only a little more.” What information would you need before agreeing?
Portion amount, nutrition information, whether the person wants/needs that amount, total cost, etc.
Name TWO ways you could redesign Morgan's experiment to produce stronger scientific evidence.
More participants, comparison/control group, control physical activity, track exact intake, include diverse participants, independent researchers, etc.
A documentary includes several experts. Does that automatically prove every claim in the documentary? Explain.
No. Individual claims still need appropriate evidence, reliable sources, sound methods, and context.
A documentary includes several experts. Does that automatically prove every claim in the documentary? Explain.
No. Individual claims still need appropriate evidence, reliable sources, sound methods, and context.