Why Are We Fat?

Gr 7 Up—New Zealand chef Simon Gault finds out that he is diabetic, and so he embarks on a quest to find out why and to discover ways to become healthy. He is given a variety of tests, scans, and sessions in the BodPod, a body measurement chamber, to determine his level of health and fitness. He works with his physician, a nutritionist, and a personal trainer for three months and is then retested. Throughout the three months, his story is interspersed with facts, figures, and narratives about why human beings are becoming more overweight and obese. Like other documentaries (Is Sugar the New Fat? and Sugar Coated), much here is centered on just how much sugar is in diets and how much highly processed food is consumed. Gault's involvement as a test subject lightens the topic with self-deprecating humor and occasional frustration. On the other hand, a visit to a New Zealand hospital reveals the other side of not getting diabetes under control—blindness, kidney failure, and leg amputations may result. Additionally, the American Heart Association receives some blame for its 1960s and '70's carbohydrate-heavy food pyramid. The film was filmed in New Zealand, so there are words and phrases that may be unfamiliar to U.S. viewers.