Producer Laurie David Screens ‘Fed Up’ Movie at Bloomberg School

October 31, 2014

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Documentary producer Laurie David joined the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) on Wednesday for a special screening of Fed Up, a film that explores the causes of the obesity crisis in the U.S. Co-produced by Laurie David (producer of An Inconvenient Truth, 2006) and Katie Couric, the film targets the role played by sugar in all its forms in the rise of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome in the U.S., especially among children.

After the screening, Ms. David answered a few questions from the audience with Bob Lawrence, director of the CLF, and Cara Shipley, a registered dietitian affiliated with the Bloomberg School.

“We have to have an honest conversation in this country about choice,” said Ms. David. “It’s not always about choice. It’s not a fair choice or level playing field when all these companies target children everywhere they go. Is it choice is the food is addictive?”

One of the small steps that Ms. urged that the audience and other concerned citizens take is to sign a petition in support of a food labeling reform advocated by Representative Tim Ryan (D–Ohio). Rep. Ryan is asking the FDA to require that sugar be listed in teaspoons—instead of grams—on the Nutrition Facts panel.

Ms. David also asked the audience for a show of hands in support of the Bloomberg School making a food policy change—to discontinue the sale of all sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages on the premises. The ayes were nearly unanimous.

—Christine Grillo