Filmmaker tests McDonald's fare with big results

A US filmmaker was so intrigued by McDonald's claim its food was nutritious that he ate all his meals at the fast-food giant for a month.

The result? Twelve kilogrammes, higher cholesterol and an award-winning documentary of his fast-food journey, "Super Size Me: A Film of Epic Portions."

Morgan Spurlock hit the morning TV shows yesterday to promote his film on surviving on a McDonald's diet, little more than a day after the company said it would end oversized portions by the end of the year. His tongue-in-cheek look at America's obesity crisis illustrates the effects of gorging on fast-food fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

"I felt terrible. You eat this food and you feel great immediately, but right after you get the McStomach aches, the McHeadaches - you get depressed," the New York-based director said on NBC's "Today" show.

Mr Spurlock, 33, said he first got the idea after stuffing himself with Thanksgiving dinner in 2002. He was lounging on the sofa at his childhood home in West Virginia when he saw a story about a lawsuit filed on behalf of two girls who claimed McDonald's caused their obesity. The suit was dismissed.