"Super Spek Me" to reveal perils of Czech pub food

The US documentary "Super Size Me" exposes American fast food culture as one of the sources of the population's obesity. Its director, Morgan Spurlock, lived on nothing but McDonald's food for an entire month. As a result he put on weight, his cholesterol shot up and doctors compared his liver to pate. The film has now reached Czech audiences and its release is accompanied by a similar experiment to the one the director of "Super Size Me" went through. A volunteer is going to eat only typical Czech pub food for a month and then reveal the results.

'Super Size Me'

"Super Size Me" opens in Prague this Thursday. This is also when the Czech experiment, under the title "Super Spek Me" - which loosely translates as "Super Flab Me" or "Super Bacon Me" - will kick off. A volunteer, who wishes to be known as Karel Gustav Bozan will put his own body on the line, just like Morgan Spurlock. He will be eating typical Czech pub food for an entire month with three simple rules: no fresh fruit or vegetables, unless they are part of a meal. No sports, but beer is recommended.

Zuzana Pudilova of art films distributor Aerofilms describes the volunteer.

"He is a well-built man between 45 and 50. He is almost 2 metres tall, he is not exactly thin but until now he has had quite a healthy lifestyle."

'Super Size Me'

Before the experiment Karel underwent a thorough medical check-up and there will be another one as it concludes. Meanwhile Karel will be describing his diet and impressions on a special website. Every few days an expert will comment on the records, among them obesity therapist Iva Malkova. She says the typical Czech diet has three potentially dangerous aspects.

'Super Size Me'

"People in the Czech Republic eat much more fat, especially animal fat than is recommended. Then there is a problem with carbohydrates, with a high glycaemic index, then the quantity of the food - people very often eat in reaction to environmental stimuli rather than physiological hunger. And another problem is the regime of the food. People very often don't eat breakfast and they eat especially in the second half of the day."

In a month's time we will see the result of the experiment. Iva Malkova says the change may not be as drastic as in the case of Morgan Spurlock, but in any case, it will be a big event. Zuzana Pudilova of Aerofilms again.

"The result will be presented to the public, most likely on March 8th in cinema Aero where Karel will eat his last sausage, if he indeed survives the experiment!"