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40 spoons of sugar a day: the story behind That Sugar Film

Cancer Prevention

In the warm Australian summer of 2008, I was pretending to enjoy life as an early 30s single male. My love of self had certainly been applied well to clothing choices and facial grooming but had yet to influence my nutrition. I told myself I enjoyed smoking a pack of cigarettes a day and pouring two cans of Vanilla Coke into my body.

But as often happens with a man, he is wrenched from the clutches of self-destruction just in the nick of time by a nurturing and emotionally intelligent woman. I can happily report that this happened to me.

I knew the moment I laid eyes on that radiant and effervescent creature that I was done, but that I had some serious work to do; Vanilla Cokes and cigarettes were not going to penetrate the healthy force field that surrounded her. I saw all of my current patterns of behaviour combust in front of me, like putting a lighter to a ball of candy floss.

The other thing that happens with a man, is that when he is trying to impress a woman, he pretends to be interested in a whole range of things that he has actually never even heard of before. For me that was healthy eating. I nodded in anticipation at her kale and cucumber smoothies, feigned excitement at avocado on chia seed bread and inhaled mountains of organic vegetables and weird sounding naturopathic potions. As a result, and without thinking much about it, I soon went from consuming around 30 teaspoons of added sugar a day to virtually none, apart from the odd square of fancy-sounding artisanal dark chocolate.

Two months into this rigorous ‘wooing’ process, I began to notice the changes. People commented on my improved skin and eye brightness, I noticed that I had lost a few layers of my hibernation suit and the biggest surprise was the affect on my mental state. I felt calmer and more balanced and present throughout the day.

Jump cut to three years later, and my girlfriend and I had bonded so well that not only had we purchased our first couch from IKEA, but we didn’t even argue when assembling it (love’s true test). I had also directed my first short film, won a large competition in Australia with it, and had been approached by a production company to make a first feature film.

Film about impact of sugar on my body

At the time, there was a lot of press starting to emerge about sugar, but the camps were very divided. Some used words like ‘toxic’ and ‘poisonous’ while others cried ‘essential for energy’. With talk of babies now frequenting our conversations, no doubt inspired by the hand-holding strolls through the IKEA labyrinth, I thought the only way to find out the truth about sugar was to do an experiment on my own body and document the results. I assembled a team of doctors, scientists and nutritionists – all far more intelligent than myself – and went about consuming 40 teaspoons of sugar a day; which sadly is what many Australians between the age of 19 and 30 are doing (this includes fruit juices, concentrates and other sweeteners like honey and maple syrup).

Sugar is ‘hidden’ in many foods

But there needed to be something to grab the audience’s attention. That hook came in aisle 5 of my local supermarket when I decided to properly read some labels and discovered that BBQ sauce, hoisin sauce and sweet chilli sauce all had more sugar in them per serve than chocolate sauce.

What if I could eat my 40 teaspoons of sugar a day by only consuming products that many people would perceive to be ‘healthy’ or at least would have no idea about the amount of sugar that lurks within them? This became the key part of the narrative and the rules were set.

For 60 days I would maintain the same level of exercise that I already did and I would eat no chocolate, ice cream, soft drink or confectionery. The 40 teaspoons a day would be ‘hidden sugars’ found in foods like low fat yoghurt, cereals, muesli bars, juices, sports drinks and assorted condiments. None of the team monitoring me really knew what to expect.

As a result, the film was very low budget in the first few weeks. There was a real chance that all this sugar-eating lunacy might amount to nothing.

Fatty liver disease in just 18 days

It’s fair to say there was a spike in interest when I put on three kilograms in just 12 days. But the real alarm sounded when I had developed fatty liver disease after just 18 days. I remember calling the film’s producer from the blood clinic and telling him my results. All I heard was a delighted squeal from the other end and the words “Brilliant! Now we have a movie!” Compassion is not high on the resume of most producers.

These results elevated the project to a new level, as all the conjecture in the media was around the fact that one half of sugar, fructose, is unique in that it metabolises by turning to fat in our liver ( about one billion people worldwide have non alcoholic fatty liver disease ). This is what had happened to me in under three weeks.

By the end of the experiment I had put on 8.5 kilograms, developed pre type 2 diabetes and heart disease risks, had an extra 10 centimetres of the dangerous visceral fat around my belly and noticed an enormous impact on my moods and cognitive functions (a topic that is increasingly being looked at in academic circles).

Food industry

I also got a sneak peek under the veil of the food and sugar industry matrix. I learnt how we all have a ‘bliss point’ for sugar, which is the optimal amount of sweetness in a food that the companies spend millions striving for. I learnt about the manipulation of science that goes on to protect the enormous profits from sugar.

I saw the horrible impact that sugar is having on our Australian indigenous culture and I now understand that sugar lights up the same reward areas in our brain as nicotine, cocaine and sex. We only have to see an image of it to trigger these responses.

Film & book to inform school curriculum

The sugar film and book have both been out in Australia for three months now and the response has been overwhelming. We recently became the highest-grossing Australian documentary of all time and the cinemas have been full of children. This has been the most heart-warming aspect and we have been able to develop a full curriculum study guide based on the film and the book that we are currently rolling out into schools.

Weight & cancer

Educating people about the impact of sugar is important as World Cancer Research Fund International’s analysis of worldwide research shows strong evidence that being overweight or obese increases the risk of 10 cancers – and is why the organisation has produced a policy brief to help governments curb global sugar consumption .

Creating awareness among people who need it the most

Our intention was always to make the film fun and accessible so the whole family could enjoy it. It is full of animations and special FX and cameos from the likes of Stephen Fry, so it can be seen by those people that would not normally watch a food documentary.

And that’s the whole point; I think the residents of many affluent suburbs around the world are already aware of the sugar message. Our goal was to penetrate what I like to call the ‘Quinoa Curtain’ and get the message to the people that actually need it the most. We are thrilled to see how open people have been to the message and are equally excited to now be able to share it with the rest of the world.

The message of the film? Eat Real Food.

> View the trailer of That Sugar Film , which is now available on DVD and on iTunes

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What the Oscar-nominated documentary “ Super Size Me ” was to the fast-food industry, “That Sugar Film” endeavors to be for businesses that are invested in refined sugar, a nearly unavoidable additive in the majority of processed edibles on grocery shelves. In fact, the claim is made that if you removed all sugar-containing items from a typical store, only 20 percent of the stock would remain.

But instead of a dude’s dude like Morgan Spurlock chowing down on All-American fries, burgers and plus-size soft drinks packed with empty calories to gauge the effects of a McDonald’s-only diet, this cautionary saga about the horrors of sweeteners features laidback Aussie actor Damon Gameau in the role of director, interviewer and on-camera guinea pig.

Back in 2004, the idea that a filmmaker would risk his own well-being by voluntarily only eating garbage for an entire month was quite novel. The popular expose could have possibly been one of the factors that led Mickey D’s to eventually add a few healthier alternatives to its menu. Whether or not the doc also raised awareness among the general public about how such chains contribute to the country’s obesity crisis is another question.

But “Super Size Me” also trafficked in a less edifying kind of carny cinema: Ladies and gentlemen, come watch a man try to eat himself to death. The formerly fit Spurlock would gain 24 pounds, see his body mass index and cholesterol levels soar, suffer from mood swings and lethargy, and accumulate fat in his liver.

A decade later, much of the shock value has dissipated from observing such a nutritionally induced sideshow. That may be why the initially wiry Gameau, a 30-something-ish cross between comic Russell Brand and Bret McKenzie of "Flight of the Conchords," feels the need to jazz up matters in a rather fanciful and intermittently entertaining fashion.

Gameau occasionally shrinks himself down to Ant-Man size, at one point hanging by a rope from his own nose before traveling through his body “Fantastic Voyage”-style. Talking heads show up on food labels, street signs and Times Square billboards. Pop songs such as Depeche Mode’s “Just Can’t Get Enough” add a bouncy component. Brit wit Stephen Fry elucidates the difference between glucose, lactose, sucrose and fructose in rhyme. An unbilled Hugh Jackman does some hocus pocus with visual aids concocted with sugar granules on a lit-up podium to illustrate the history of the substance.

Did you know Queen Elizabeth I was a sugar fiend whose teeth rotted and turned black? Well, now you do.

Gameau himself also shows a penchant for walking about in neon yellow or orange underpants during his medical check-ups. It’s all very cute, but if you want sugar-drenched whimsy, why not indulge in “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” instead?

The handling of the dietary experiment doesn’t vary all that much from Spurlock’s overall approach as Gameau prepares to spend two months ingesting 40 teaspoons of sugar a day—what the average Australian takes in. He consults doctors, nutritionists and other experts before subjecting himself to such a regimen since he has been sugar-free for the past five years, thanks to the influence of his girlfriend. The one interesting twist: instead of feasting on fistfuls of jelly beans, mounds of ice cream and piles of Oreos, his intake of sweets comes entirely from supposedly healthy products such as cereal, sports drinks, smoothies, baked beans and juices. It's sort of like when “Seinfeld’s” Elaine questioned whether all that the delicious frozen yogurt at a new neighborhood shop was actually non-fat.

Unlike Spurlock, however, Gameau has a personal reason behind his main impetus for doing the doc. His first child is due in three months. That is why much of what he ingests is often considered good-for-you kid snacks. But many of the damaging effects are the same, including the acquisition of a pot belly, a lack of energy, a decreased attention span, moodiness and an insatiable craving for the next sugar high.

One interesting fact that comes out of Gameau’s self-abusing ordeal is that even though he has been eating the same number of daily calories—a normal 2,300—as he did before, he has packed on 15 pounds mostly around his waist. His acquisition of a dad-bod physique might suggest that all calories are not created equal and that certain sources might affect the body more aversely, something sugar manufacturers with a vested interest vehemently deny.

Gameau also inserts a bit of journalism into the mix with two road trips that elevate "That Sugar Film" beyond a semi-vanity production. He travels to Amata, an aboriginal community of 350 citizens in remote northern Australia. Together, the population consumes 40,000 liters of soft drinks each year—thanks in part to easy access to Coca-Cola and a lack of fresh produce at the local food store—with debilitating and deadly results. Matters do improve when a government-supported program provides better alternatives. That is, until funding is cut.

But anyone who likes to regularly say “yahoo” to a Mountain Dew might change their mind once they witness the devastating effects of an epidemic outbreak of “Mountain Dew mouth”—the result of guzzling five or six cans of this sugar and caffeine-loaded beverage every day—in a rural Kentucky town. A teen named Larry, a Dew devotee whose teeth look like they have been drenched in acid, desperately wants to get dentures. But his dentist can’t complete the tooth-pulling procedure, seen in excruciating detail, since his gums are so infected that the pain killers won’t work.

As for Larry’s mystifying revelation that he will continue to drink Mountain Dew even after he gets his false teeth, it says more about the insidious nature of sugar than anything that Gameau can offer.

Susan Wloszczyna

Susan Wloszczyna spent much of her nearly thirty years at USA TODAY as a senior entertainment reporter. Now unchained from the grind of daily journalism, she is ready to view the world of movies with fresh eyes.

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The unsweetened truth: a study guide to That Sugar Film.

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Film Review: ‘That Sugar Film’

Multihyphenate Damon Gameau becomes a human lab rat in this peppy and informative documentary about the hazards of excessive sugar consumption.

By Alissa Simon

Alissa Simon

Film Critic

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Fast-paced, entertaining and informative, “That Sugar Film” is a cautionary tale about the hidden sugar content in everyday food products, the health problems that high sugar consumption creates, and the food industry’s deliberate efforts to obfuscate the sugar content of various products as well as the ingredient’s addictive power. With its peppy, pop style, complete with silly, colorful special effects and animation, this documentary should prove accessible to school-age viewers, who might profit the most from its frank information about sugar’s effect on their minds and bodies. Although ancillary biz is likely to outweigh theatrical, overall returns should be, er, sweet.

Much like Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me,” “That Sugar Film” centers on an experiment by writer-director-producer-protagonist Damon Gameau, a wiry thirtysomething Aussie awaiting the birth of his first child. Under the guidance of a team of scientists and nutritionists, he becomes a human lab rat, consuming a diet that includes 40 teaspoons of sugar per day for 60 days (40 teaspoons being the Oz average). The catch is that he must do this without consuming any soft drinks, chocolate, ice cream or confections; he will eat only foods that are marketed as “healthy,” such as low-fat yogurt, muesli bars, juices and cereal, but which in fact are laden with hidden sugars.

Popular on Variety

As Gameau plays fast and loose with his own health, he also provides a short capitalist history of sugar and shows how it infiltrates the West’s contemporary diet and culture, while celebrities such as Stephen Fry and medical experts chime in with pertinent information. Gameau also makes two road trips that underscore, in disturbingly visceral fashion, the pic’s points about how certain food manufacturers are determined to maintain the status quo regarding the health-destroying aspects of sugar consumption.

In Amata, a remote aboriginal community in the Northern Territory of Australia, the population is a mere 350 souls, but those people drink 40,000 liters of soft drinks per year among them, with devastating consequences to their health. Community workers and elders fought for regulations to limit Coca-Cola and to bring fresh produce into the local store, along with nutrition counseling in schools and clinics. The community’s health improved until the government cut funding for their better nutrition initiatives.

In Barbourville, Ky., Gameau spends a few days with a dentist who operates a mobile dental clinic and treats impoverished local kids who have a condition dubbed “Mountain Dew mouth,” the result of drinking five to six cans of the Pepsi-owned beverage per day. (A 1.25-liter bottle boasts 37 teaspoons of sugar and 50% more caffeine than Coke.) We meet Larry, a 17-year old boy with a mouth full of rotten teeth; he would like to have them all removed and replaced with dentures, but his gums are so infected that it isn’t immediately possible. Shockingly, he maintains that he would still drink Mountain Dew after the procedure.

Lively cutting, inventive visuals and Gameau’s feisty narration keep viewer interest from flagging. Concurrent with the film’s release, Gameau also published “That Sugar Book,” which supplements the film’s data with sensible advice on kicking the sugar habit, foods to avoid, how to shop, how to read labels and how to cook sugar-free food, with the help of more than 30 easily prepared recipes.

Reviewed online, Karlovy Vary, July 10, 2015. (In Berlin, Seattle film festivals.) Running time: 94 MIN.

Production: (Documentary — Australia) A Samuel Goldwyn Films (in U.S.) release of a Madman Production Company, Screen Australia, Old Mates Prods. production. Produced by Nick Batzias, Damon Gameau, Rory Williamson. Executive producers, Paul Wiegard, Seth Larney, Jason Sourasis. Co-producer, Virginia Whitwell.
Crew: Directed, written by Damon Gameau. Camera (color, HD), Judd Overton; editor, Jane Usher; composer, Jojo Petrina; production designer, Gareth Davies; sound, Simon Rosenberg; visual effects supervisor, Seth Larney.
With: Damon Gameau, Stephen Fry, Brenton Thwaites, Isabel Lucas, Jessica Marais, Zoe Tuckwell-Smith, David Gillespie, Debbie Herbst, Sharon Johnston, Ken Sikaris, Michael Moss, Gary Taubes, Dr. Kimber Stanhope, Barry Popkin, Danielle Reed, John Sievenpiper, Kathleen des Maisons, Jean Marc Schwarz, Kelly Brownell, Aaron Matheson, Howard Moskowitz, Thomas Campbell, David Wolfe, John Tregenza.

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That Sugar Film: Film Guide

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A film guide that looks at That Sugar Film (2014), a documentary in which a concerned filmmaker conducts an experiment on himself to understand the unhealthy effects of a high sugar diet.

This guide is useful for exploring topics including PSHE Education and Science in addition to highlighting themes surrounding mass media, family, addictions, food and health, poverty, and technology.

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That Sugar Film Film Guide

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Size: 42.31 MB

Reporter Christy chats to Damon Gameau about his exposé on the sugar indust

Interview with director Damon Gameau

That Sugar Film Interview with director Damon Gameau

Duration: 3:54 mins

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That Sugar Film (2014)

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Age group 11+ years

Duration 97 mins

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Super Size Me (2004)

142 reviews

Very funny, though sometimes disturbing, documentary about what happens to filmmaker Morgan Spurlock when he eats nothing but McDonalds for 30 days.

Duration 99 mins

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The art and science of good storytelling: That Sugar Film

Damon has a lot of questions, especially about sugar. He knows junk food is bad for him but he’s heard different things about how much sugar is really in “healthy” food. And he’s curious about the effects on his body. He decides to find out and share his learning experience by making a documentary – That Sugar Film . Let’s take a look at this form of communications and how it engages its audiences.

Although he has led a healthy life so far, Damon has questions in his head like: “Are healthy foods really safe enough enough for us to eat every day?” “Are cereals and other processed foods healthy, especially for children?” “How do I find out what I’m eating anyway?” Damon decided to jump into the world of sugar to try to discover the bitter or sweet truth, brought to us through the medium of documentary storytelling.

Damon starts out by consulting a doctor, dietician and other experts to gain their support to track his progress. They help him set his daily sugar intake level at the current average consumed by adults. He goes to the supermarket to stock up. He avoids junk food and just consumes food that is commonly perceived as ‘healthy’, e.g. low-fat yogurt, cereal, muesli bars, etc.

But after 60 days of maintaining this sugar intake, Damon begins to change. He puts on weight, of course, but there’s more. His seems to begin to turn into a polar bear entering a sugar-induced hibernation. He becomes too lazy to do anything when he’s not eating sugar. All he wants to do is sleep, covered with a thick blanket. He develops a breathing problem. He also begins to develop fatty liver disease. His behaviour is more like someone who is dependent on drugs – without sugar he can’t do anything as easily as before. Sometimes he screams and laughs at the same time (his “unstable” mental state) when eating too much chocolate.

The film doesn’t set out to approve or disapprove, nor make fun of people. It shows us the reality of one’s man’s experience. That Sugar Film allows us to decide for ourselves whether or not it is worth it to consume a lot of sugar. The film doesn’t try to scare us or forbid us from eating sugar – it aims to redress the information balance in a way that let’s us have our chocolate and eat it too. It shows us that we don’t need an extreme makeover to improve our health; just reduce the sugar we consume and we can be healthier. The science shows that helping people improve their ability to make better decisions is one of the key determinants of behaviour change.

That Sugar Film truly is one of the best sugar documentaries yet. It’s informative and tells a story that needs to be told. It provokes, engages and allows us to be voyeurs. That Sugar Film will forever change the way you think, in this case about ‘healthy’ food. Good storytelling should do that every time.

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Review: In ‘That Sugar Film,’ a Bitter Truth

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By Daniel M. Gold

July 30, 2015

In “ That Sugar Film ,” Damon Gameau, an engaging Australian actor-director who has been off refined sugars for years, shifts his consumption for two months to include 40 teaspoons of sugar a day, the average Aussie’s intake. And he isn’t scarfing candy and soda: Instead, to highlight the hidden sugars in so-called healthy alternatives, he consumes products like low-fat yogurt, juice and cereal.

If this sounds like Morgan Spurlock’s “ Super Size Me ,” in which Mr. Spurlock ingested McDonald’s menu items for a month, it should; Mr. Gameau has followed Mr. Spurlock’s playbook almost page for page. Like “Super Size Me,” Mr. Gameau keeps a team of doctors and nutritionists handy, and the health effects are alarming. Within three weeks, he starts to develop fatty liver disease, and by the end incurs early Type 2 diabetes and increased heart-disease risks.

He also travels across Australia and the United States, investigating the consequences of a high-sugar diet and discussing health and business-related issues with scientists, physicians and journalists (including Michael Moss, a former reporter for The New York Times and author of “Salt Sugar Fat”). Mr. Gameau’s breezy blend of computer imagery, musical numbers, sketches and offbeat field trips makes the nutrition lessons easy to digest.

The food-doc shelf is crowded with good-for-you movies, including “ Fed Up ,” “Fast Food Nation,” “Food Inc.” and, yes, “Super Size Me.” “That Sugar Film” is a worthy addition, entertaining while informing. Timely, too: Just last week, the Food and Drug Administration proposed requiring companies to list added sugar in their labeling.

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The Two-Way

50 years ago, sugar industry quietly paid scientists to point blame at fat.

Camila Domonoske

A newly discovered cache of internal documents reveals that the sugar industry downplayed the risks of sugar in the 1960s. Luis Ascui/Getty Images hide caption

A newly discovered cache of internal documents reveals that the sugar industry downplayed the risks of sugar in the 1960s.

In the 1960s, the sugar industry funded research that downplayed the risks of sugar and highlighted the hazards of fat, according to a newly published article in JAMA Internal Medicine.

The article draws on internal documents to show that an industry group called the Sugar Research Foundation wanted to "refute" concerns about sugar's possible role in heart disease. The SRF then sponsored research by Harvard scientists that did just that. The result was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1967, with no disclosure of the sugar industry funding.

Sugar Shocked? The Rest Of Food Industry Pays For Lots Of Research, Too

The sugar-funded project in question was a literature review, examining a variety of studies and experiments. It suggested there were major problems with all the studies that implicated sugar, and concluded that cutting fat out of American diets was the best way to address coronary heart disease.

The authors of the new article say that for the past five decades, the sugar industry has been attempting to influence the scientific debate over the relative risks of sugar and fat.

"It was a very smart thing the sugar industry did, because review papers, especially if you get them published in a very prominent journal, tend to shape the overall scientific discussion," co-author Stanton Glantz told The New York Times .

Money on the line

How The Food Industry Manipulates Taste Buds With 'Salt Sugar Fat'

In the article, published Monday, authors Glantz, Cristin Kearns and Laura Schmidt aren't trying make the case for a link between sugar and coronary heart disease. Their interest is in the process. They say the documents reveal the sugar industry attempting to influence scientific inquiry and debate.

The researchers note that they worked under some limitations — "We could not interview key actors involved in this historical episode because they have died," they write. Other organizations were also advocating concerns about fat, they note.

There's no evidence that the SRF directly edited the manuscript published by the Harvard scientists in 1967, but there is "circumstantial" evidence that the interests of the sugar lobby shaped the conclusions of the review, the researchers say.

For one thing, there's motivation and intent. In 1954, the researchers note, the president of the SRF gave a speech describing a great business opportunity.

If Americans could be persuaded to eat a lower-fat diet — for the sake of their health — they would need to replace that fat with something else. America's per capita sugar consumption could go up by a third .

In 'Soda Politics,' Big Soda At Crossroads Of Profit And Public Health

But in the '60s, the SRF became aware of "flowing reports that sugar is a less desirable dietary source of calories than other carbohydrates," as John Hickson, SRF vice president and director of research, put it in one document.

He recommended that the industry fund its own studies — "Then we can publish the data and refute our detractors."

The next year, after several scientific articles were published suggesting a link between sucrose and coronary heart disease, the SRF approved the literature-review project. It wound up paying approximately $50,000 in today's dollars for the research.

One of the researchers was the chairman of Harvard's Public Health Nutrition Department — and an ad hoc member of SRF's board.

"A different standard" for different studies

Glantz, Kearns and Schmidt say many of the articles examined in the review were hand-selected by SRF, and it was implied that the sugar industry would expect them to be critiqued.

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

Obesity and the toxic-sugar wars.

In a letter, SRF's Hickson said that the organization's "particular interest" was in evaluating studies focused on "carbohydrates in the form of sucrose."

"We are well aware," one of the scientists replied, "and will cover this as well as we can."

The project wound up taking longer than expected, because more and more studies were being released that suggested sugar might be linked to coronary heart disease. But it was finally published in 1967.

Hickson was certainly happy with the result: "Let me assure you this is quite what we had in mind and we look forward to its appearance in print," he told one of the scientists.

The review minimized the significance of research that suggested sugar could play a role in coronary heart disease. In some cases the scientists alleged investigator incompetence or flawed methodology.

"It is always appropriate to question the validity of individual studies," Kearns told Bloomberg via email. But, she says, "the authors applied a different standard" to different studies — looking very critically at research that implicated sugar, and ignoring problems with studies that found dangers in fat.

Epidemiological studies of sugar consumption — which look at patterns of health and disease in the real world — were dismissed for having too many possible factors getting in the way. Experimental studies were dismissed for being too dissimilar to real life.

One study that found a health benefit when people ate less sugar and more vegetables was dismissed because that dietary change was not feasible.

Another study, in which rats were given a diet low in fat and high in sugar, was rejected because "such diets are rarely consumed by man."

The Harvard researchers then turned to studies that examined risks of fat — which included the same kind of epidemiological studies they had dismissed when it came to sugar.

Citing "few study characteristics and no quantitative results," as Kearns, Glantz and Schmidt put it, they concluded that cutting out fat was "no doubt" the best dietary intervention to prevent coronary heart disease.

Sugar lobby: "Transparency standards were not the norm"

In a statement, the Sugar Association — which evolved out of the SRF — said it is challenging to comment on events from so long ago.

"We acknowledge that the Sugar Research Foundation should have exercised greater transparency in all of its research activities, however, when the studies in question were published funding disclosures and transparency standards were not the norm they are today," the association said.

"Generally speaking, it is not only unfortunate but a disservice that industry-funded research is branded as tainted," the statement continues. "What is often missing from the dialogue is that industry-funded research has been informative in addressing key issues."

The documents in question are five decades old, but the larger issue is of the moment, as Marion Nestle notes in a commentary in the same issue of JAMA Internal Medicine:

"Is it really true that food companies deliberately set out to manipulate research in their favor? Yes, it is, and the practice continues. In 2015, the New York Times obtained emails revealing Coca-Cola's cozy relationships with sponsored researchers who were conducting studies aimed at minimizing the effects of sugary drinks on obesity. Even more recently, the Associated Press obtained emails showing how a candy trade association funded and influenced studies to show that children who eat sweets have healthier body weights than those who do not."

As for the article authors who dug into the documents around this funding, they offer two suggestions for the future.

"Policymaking committees should consider giving less weight to food industry-funded studies," they write.

They also call for new research into any ties between added sugars and coronary heart disease.

heart disease

Home » Documentary Analysis – Methods, Applications and Examples

Documentary Analysis – Methods, Applications and Examples

Table of Contents

Documentary Analysis

Definition:

Documentary analysis, also referred to as document analysis , is a systematic procedure for reviewing or evaluating documents. This method involves a detailed review of the documents to extract themes or patterns relevant to the research topic .

Documents used in this type of analysis can include a wide variety of materials such as text (words) and images that have been recorded without a researcher’s intervention. The domain of document analysis, therefore, includes all kinds of texts – books, newspapers, letters, study reports, diaries, and more, as well as images like maps, photographs, and films.

Documentary analysis provides valuable insight and a unique perspective on the past, contextualizing the present and providing a baseline for future studies. It is also an essential tool in case studies and when direct observation or participant observation is not possible.

The process usually involves several steps:

Sourcing : This involves identifying the document or source, its origin, and the context in which it was created.
Contextualizing : This involves understanding the social, economic, political, and cultural circumstances during the time the document was created.
Interrogating : This involves asking a series of questions to help understand the document better. For example, who is the author? What is the purpose of the document? Who is the intended audience?
Making inferences : This involves understanding what the document says (either directly or indirectly) about the topic under study.
Checking for reliability and validity : Just like other research methods, documentary analysis also involves checking for the validity and reliability of the documents being analyzed.

Documentary Analysis Methods

Documentary analysis as a qualitative research method involves a systematic process. Here are the main steps you would generally follow:

Defining the Research Question

Before you start any research , you need a clear and focused research question . This will guide your decision on what documents you need to analyze and what you’re looking for within them.

Selecting the Documents

Once you know what you’re looking for, you can start to select the relevant documents. These can be a wide range of materials – books, newspapers, letters, official reports, diaries, transcripts of speeches, archival materials, websites, social media posts, and more. They can be primary sources (directly from the time/place/person you are studying) or secondary sources (analyses created by others).

Reading and Interpreting the Documents

You need to closely read the selected documents to identify the themes and patterns that relate to your research question. This might involve content analysis (looking at what is explicitly stated) and discourse analysis (looking at what is implicitly stated or implied). You need to understand the context in which the document was created, the author’s purpose, and the audience’s perspective.

Coding and Categorizing the Data

After the initial reading, the data (text) can be broken down into smaller parts or “codes.” These codes can then be categorized based on their similarities and differences. This process of coding helps in organizing the data and identifying patterns or themes.

Analyzing the Data

Once the data is organized, it can be analyzed to make sense of it. This can involve comparing the data with existing theories, examining relationships between categories, or explaining the data in relation to the research question.

Validating the Findings

The researcher needs to ensure that the findings are accurate and credible. This might involve triangulating the data (comparing it with other sources or types of data), considering alternative explanations, or seeking feedback from others.

Reporting the Findings

The final step is to report the findings in a clear, structured way. This should include a description of the methods used, the findings, and the researcher’s interpretations and conclusions.

Applications of Documentary Analysis

Documentary analysis is widely used across a variety of fields and disciplines due to its flexible and comprehensive nature. Here are some specific applications:

Historical Research

Documentary analysis is a fundamental method in historical research. Historians use documents to reconstruct past events, understand historical contexts, and interpret the motivations and actions of historical figures. Documents analyzed may include personal letters, diaries, official records, newspaper articles, photographs, and more.

Social Science Research

Sociologists, anthropologists, and political scientists use documentary analysis to understand social phenomena, cultural practices, political events, and more. This might involve analyzing government policies, organizational records, media reports, social media posts, and other documents.

Legal Research

In law, documentary analysis is used in case analysis and statutory interpretation. Legal practitioners and scholars analyze court decisions, statutes, regulations, and other legal documents.

Business and Market Research

Companies often analyze documents to gather business intelligence, understand market trends, and make strategic decisions. This might involve analyzing competitor reports, industry news, market research studies, and more.

Media and Communication Studies

Scholars in these fields might analyze media content (e.g., news reports, advertisements, social media posts) to understand media narratives, public opinion, and communication practices.

Literary and Film Studies

In these fields, the “documents” might be novels, poems, films, or scripts. Scholars analyze these texts to interpret their meaning, understand their cultural context, and critique their form and content.

Educational Research

Educational researchers may analyze curricula, textbooks, lesson plans, and other educational documents to understand educational practices and policies.

Health Research

Health researchers may analyze medical records, health policies, clinical guidelines, and other documents to study health behaviors, healthcare delivery, and health outcomes.

Examples of Documentary Analysis

Some Examples of Documentary Analysis might be:

Example 1 : A historian studying the causes of World War I might analyze diplomatic correspondence, government records, newspaper articles, and personal diaries from the period leading up to the war.
Example 2 : A policy analyst trying to understand the impact of a new public health policy might analyze the policy document itself, as well as related government reports, statements from public health officials, and news media coverage of the policy.
Example 3 : A market researcher studying consumer trends might analyze social media posts, customer reviews, industry reports, and news articles related to the market they’re studying.
Example 4 : An education researcher might analyze curriculum documents, textbooks, and lesson plans to understand how a particular subject is being taught in schools. They might also analyze policy documents to understand the broader educational policy context.
Example 5 : A criminologist studying hate crimes might analyze police reports, court records, news reports, and social media posts to understand patterns in hate crimes, as well as societal and institutional responses to them.
Example 6 : A journalist writing a feature article on homelessness might analyze government reports on homelessness, policy documents related to housing and social services, news articles on homelessness, and social media posts from people experiencing homelessness.
Example 7 : A literary critic studying a particular author might analyze their novels, letters, interviews, and reviews of their work to gain insight into their themes, writing style, influences, and reception.

When to use Documentary Analysis

Documentary analysis can be used in a variety of research contexts, including but not limited to:

When direct access to research subjects is limited : If you are unable to conduct interviews or observations due to geographical, logistical, or ethical constraints, documentary analysis can provide an alternative source of data.
When studying the past : Documents can provide a valuable window into historical events, cultures, and perspectives. This is particularly useful when the people involved in these events are no longer available for interviews or when physical evidence is lacking.
When corroborating other sources of data : If you have collected data through interviews, surveys, or observations, analyzing documents can provide additional evidence to support or challenge your findings. This process of triangulation can enhance the validity of your research.
When seeking to understand the context : Documents can provide background information that helps situate your research within a broader social, cultural, historical, or institutional context. This can be important for interpreting your other data and for making your research relevant to a wider audience.
When the documents are the focus of the research : In some cases, the documents themselves might be the subject of your research. For example, you might be studying how a particular topic is represented in the media, how an author’s work has evolved over time, or how a government policy was developed.
When resources are limited : Compared to methods like experiments or large-scale surveys, documentary analysis can often be conducted with relatively limited resources. It can be a particularly useful method for students, independent researchers, and others who are working with tight budgets.
When providing an audit trail for future researchers : Documents provide a record of events, decisions, or conditions at specific points in time. They can serve as an audit trail for future researchers who want to understand the circumstances surrounding a particular event or period.

Purpose of Documentary Analysis

The purpose of documentary analysis in research can be multifold. Here are some key reasons why a researcher might choose to use this method:

Understanding Context : Documents can provide rich contextual information about the period, environment, or culture under investigation. This can be especially useful for historical research, where the context is often key to understanding the events or trends being studied.
Direct Source of Data : Documents can serve as primary sources of data. For instance, a letter from a historical figure can give unique insights into their thoughts, feelings, and motivations. A company’s annual report can offer firsthand information about its performance and strategy.
Corroboration and Verification : Documentary analysis can be used to validate and cross-verify findings derived from other research methods. For example, if interviews suggest a particular outcome, relevant documents can be reviewed to confirm the accuracy of this finding.
Substituting for Other Methods : When access to the field or subjects is not possible due to various constraints (geographical, logistical, or ethical), documentary analysis can serve as an alternative to methods like observation or interviews.
Unobtrusive Method : Unlike some other research methods, documentary analysis doesn’t require interaction with subjects, and therefore doesn’t risk altering the behavior of those subjects.
Longitudinal Analysis : Documents can be used to study change over time. For example, a researcher might analyze census data from multiple decades to study demographic changes.
Providing Rich, Qualitative Data : Documents often provide qualitative data that can help researchers understand complex issues in depth. For example, a policy document might reveal not just the details of the policy, but also the underlying beliefs and attitudes that shaped it.

Advantages of Documentary Analysis

Documentary analysis offers several advantages as a research method:

Unobtrusive : As a non-reactive method, documentary analysis does not require direct interaction with human subjects, which means that the research doesn’t affect or influence the subjects’ behavior.
Rich Historical and Contextual Data : Documents can provide a wealth of historical and contextual information. They allow researchers to examine events and perspectives from the past, even from periods long before modern research methods were established.
Efficiency and Accessibility : Many documents are readily accessible, especially with the proliferation of digital archives and databases. This accessibility can often make documentary analysis a more efficient method than others that require data collection from human subjects.
Cost-Effective : Compared to other methods, documentary analysis can be relatively inexpensive. It generally requires fewer resources than conducting experiments, surveys, or fieldwork.
Permanent Record : Documents provide a permanent record that can be reviewed multiple times. This allows for repeated analysis and verification of the data.
Versatility : A wide variety of documents can be analyzed, from historical texts to contemporary digital content, providing flexibility and applicability to a broad range of research questions and fields.
Ability to Cross-Verify (Triangulate) Data : Documentary analysis can be used alongside other methods as a means of triangulating data, thus adding validity and reliability to the research.

Limitations of Documentary Analysis

While documentary analysis offers several benefits as a research method, it also has its limitations. It’s important to keep these in mind when deciding to use documentary analysis and when interpreting your findings:

Authenticity : Not all documents are genuine, and sometimes it can be challenging to verify the authenticity of a document, particularly for historical research.
Bias and Subjectivity : All documents are products of their time and their authors. They may reflect personal, cultural, political, or institutional biases, and these biases can affect the information they contain and how it is presented.
Incomplete or Missing Information : Documents may not provide all the information you need for your research. There may be gaps in the record, or crucial information may have been omitted, intentionally or unintentionally.
Access and Availability : Not all documents are readily available for analysis. Some may be restricted due to privacy, confidentiality, or security considerations. Others may be difficult to locate or access, particularly historical documents that haven’t been digitized.
Interpretation : Interpreting documents, particularly historical ones, can be challenging. You need to understand the context in which the document was created, including the social, cultural, political, and personal factors that might have influenced its content.
Time-Consuming : While documentary analysis can be cost-effective, it can also be time-consuming, especially if you have a large number of documents to analyze or if the documents are lengthy or complex.
Lack of Control Over Data : Unlike methods where the researcher collects the data themselves (e.g., through experiments or surveys), with documentary analysis, you have no control over what data is available. You are reliant on what others have chosen to record and preserve.

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Muhammad Hassan

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The 10 Best Documentaries About Sugar And Its Effects

Explore the best documentaries about Sugar and its effects

Intro: Documentaries about Sugar

Sugar is a sweet, white crystalline or granular food that is composed of water and fructose (fruit sugar) and sucrose (table sugar), which occurs naturally in various plants. In the body, glucose and fructose are metabolized to generate energy in a process known as glycolysis. The rise of artificial sweeteners such as sucralose in products like canned soft drinks has led to the increased use of non-nutritive sweeteners, which have been linked to an increased risk for obesity . Recent studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can also affect gut bacteria in ways that increase the risk for metabolic syndrome and diabetes. While these findings deserve further study, it’s important to consider what you put into your body as you explore how to best manage sugar intake.

Many people are addicted to sugar. It is often viewed as "empty calories" that provide a quick and easy fix for their energy levels, but the fact is that sugar is not the answer. Sugar can cause insulin spikes and crashes, which can cause blood sugar imbalances and weight gain. Instead of turning to sugary snacks, you should be looking for healthy foods that will give you natural energy without causing these problems. Not only that, but it’s also important to check our food labels and make sure what we are eating isn’t loaded with as many artificial ingredients as possible. There are ways we can all be healthier regarding how much sugar we consume, and it starts by cutting out some of those empty carbs like breads and pastas.

In this article, we're going to learn more about Sugar, from his history, how it's produced, his role and side effects in modern society.

1. Big Sugar Part 1 - History of Sugar Documentary

In the early days of sugar production, it is said that slaves were used to extract and process sugar cane. The first documented use of slaves for this purpose was in 1516 when a Spanish plantation owner brought over 300 African captives from Cuba to work on his estate in Hispaniola (now Haiti ). Sugar became so prevalent with its popularity among European royalty during the 16th century that King Henry VIII had an entire department within Whitehall dedicated solely to "sugar affairs." However, these imports led Europeans into conflict with Native Americans who relied heavily on their traditional diets, which included large amounts of wild honey. This caused tension between colonists and natives as well as a decline in native populations due largely because they lost access to more natural food sources such as beehives .

2. Big Sugar Part 2 - History of Sugar Documentary

This is part 2 of the documentary on the history of sugar. In this video, we talk about how sugar fueled Europe's Industrial Revolution and then later on slavery. We'll also go over how sugar became a luxury item in the 1800s and then moved to being a necessity in the 1900s.

3. What Goes On Inside The Sugar Capital Of The Nation?

Australia has a diverse geography with many resources and is home to twenty-one million people. It’s an enormous landmass which houses a number of high-tech industrial operations, like mining and logging. Australia is known for having big ideas that are turned into reality in the country - from its vast natural landscape, to its booming economy.

From the sugar cane farmers to the sugar refineries, this documentary looks at what goes on inside the sugar capital of Australia. Focusing on the people and businesses that keep Australia's sugar industry thriving, this documentary explores how this industry links in with other economic sectors in Australia .

4. Price of Sugar- Documentary about Sugar

In the film, Bill Haney takes on a sugar baron who is known for his cruelty and greed. In one scene from the documentary, he confronts him in front of an audience at a church service about how much money it would take to buy all their freedom back. “You’re going to have to give them $75 million dollars! And that's what you owe them," said Father Christopher with conviction as he pointed towards the congregation." "That's not my problem!" shouted out Mr. Domenech angrily before storming off into his car where many members of Haiti were waiting outside during mass time after being forced by plantation owners or Haitian officials they had paid off (to) stay inside while they attended services so that nobody could see how badly Haitians were treated and exploited.

5. The Sugar Lobby: How The Industry Hides The Real Harm Caused By Sugar

The average person in France eats about 34 kg of sugar - twice as much as people did 15 years ago. 80% of the sugar we consume is hidden in everyday foods, like "healthy" breakfast cereals or ready meals. The fact that most people don't even know what they are consuming has led to a dangerous epidemic- and diabetes, heart disease and many other serious illnesses being on the rise due to this type of ingestion. In addition, there is mounting evidence linking sugars with cancer , something which should not be ignored by those who care for their health!

6. The Secrets of Sugar: The Fifth Estate

We've heard for years about the dangers of eating too much fat or salt. But there have never been recommended limits on sugar, despite emerging research that suggests it may be making more of us obese and sick. In The Secrets Of Sugar season premiere, Gillian Findlay digs into this surprising science - and the reaction from those in power - to reveal a myriad of secrets hidden behind the label "sugar". Has the sugar industry been hiding an unsavoury truth from consumers?

We put a family of four on a healthy diet to try to beat their sugar habit and track the surprising results. Scientists talk about how they manage sugar intake, both in terms of its role in obesity , diabetes, heart disease and other health problems – as well as at what point we should stop counting an ingredient’s glycemic index (GI) or Net Carbs etc. We also speak with critics who say that even if you get your recommended daily allowance for all nutrients, this doesn't mean you can eat whatever you want anyway. And we ask the food industry why those ingredients labels are far from clear when it comes to how much sugar is really on your plate! The Food Industry: "There's no legal requirement for companies providing products labeled ‘low-fat’ or ‘no cholesterol” to list carbohydrates".

7. Sugar: The Bitter Truth - Sugar Documentary

Lustig's research has shown that the consumption of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is associated with an increased risk for obesity and metabolic syndrome, as well as a host of other chronic health problems. These include type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, cancer and others. Lustig argues that fructose makes us fat by increasing insulin levels in our body; fiber does not have this same effect because it slows down how quickly food moves through your digestive system. This means you can eat more sugary foods without getting fatter or sicker than if you ate fewer calories from sugar, but did consume enough fiber to slow digestion time.

8. The Truth About Sugar Addiction - BBC Sugar Documentary

Scientists have found that sugar leads to addiction and is highly addictive. It stimulates the same pleasure centers of the brain as cocaine, heroin, or other drugs like nicotine. A sugar addiction can lead to many health problems as well as emotional and psychological pain for years after it has become an actual problem in your life How do you know if you are addicted? Sugar withdrawal symptoms include cravings and depression when it stops being consumed regularly.

9. Sugar Coated - White Death is Everywhere

The documentary argues that sugar is the prime cause of obesity , diabetes, and heart disease. It also shows how these diseases are similar to alcoholism in that they both share common symptoms such as cravings for sweets or alcohol. The film then goes on to show what happens when a person has too much sugar in their body: it causes them to literally get drunk with an increase in dopamine levels, which leads people into addiction and other problems.

10. That Hits the Sweet Spot - Sugar Documentary

A fantastic documentary on the damage that sugar is doing to the population. The movie doesn't pull any punches and goes into detail about how much of a problem this has become in our society, especially when it comes down to health issues like diabetes. It explains why we need less sugar and what steps can be taken by people who are trying to cut back or eliminate all forms of sugar from their diet.

Conclusions: Documentaries about Sugar

The prevalence of diabetes, which can often be attributed to the consumption of too much sugar, continues to rise, leading to increased healthcare expenditures in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the same time, individuals, families and communities are looking for more nutritious, tasty, and convenient ways to manage sugar intake. As individuals and families attempt to manage sugar, especially from sweetened beverages, health care providers should be aware of possible risks, as well as the beneficial effects of healthy substitutions and eating habits that include balanced sugar intake, such as switching from sugary foods and beverages to fresh fruits and vegetables, non-processed whole grains, and lean proteins.

If you enjoyed this collection of documentaries about Sugar, be sure to share with your friends and keep exploring!

Images credits: Unsplash.com

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Analysis of The Core Ideas Presented in The Documentary "The Secrets of Sugar"

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Published: 25 September 2015

Jamie's Sugar Rush – what do we think?

BDJ Team volume 2 , Article number: 15122 ( 2015 ) Cite this article

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Dental caries
Dental public health

It shocked the nation into action, with his petition reaching 100,000 signatures within 48 hours of the documentary airing, but what did we as a profession make of it? After all, the British Dental Journal has been banging on about sugar for 100 years, so what impact could a 60 minute show by a TV chef possibly have? We ask five healthcare professionals for their opinion.

Shaun Howe RDH

– Storm in a teacup

It's in the news, wherever you look sugar is in the news. The problem is that it is not news is it? Collectively, the profession of dentistry has known for some significant time that frequent sugar consumption is a factor in caries and our medic colleagues have known that too much sugar will cause weight gain. We were fed a lie in the 1970s that too much fat (regardless of the source) was bad for us and in the 80s and 90s people sought low fat products because of this. Remove fat from processed food and then you have to replace the taste and that is invariably done with sugar.

Why do we need Jamie Oliver and his recent television programme ‘Sugar Rush’ to highlight a message that we all knew and have been passing on to patients for some time? I am angry that it has taken a TV chef to bring this to the nation's attention; the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition made some startling revelations in its recently published ‘SACN Carbohydrates and Health Report’ and it appears it took a group of experts to state:

High levels of sugar consumption are associated with a greater risk of tooth decay

The higher the proportion of sugar in the diet, the greater the risk of high energy intake

Drinking high-sugar beverages results in weight gain and increases in BMI in teenagers and children

Consuming too many high-sugar beverages increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Really? It took a group of high end academics to come up with the first conclusion; Miller first described the relationship between sugar and caries in the 1890s and whilst this model has evolved and we now know there are numerous factors the basic message was the same over 100 years ago. Despite being angry at it requiring Jamie Oliver to highlight this issue, I admire his tenacity and enthusiasm for anything he becomes involved in yet the cynic in me wonders whether it is a storm in a teacup and that in 6 months' time we will have forgotten about the hype. There are many powerful multi-national companies that will continue to produce sugar laden food and the masses will continue to buy it.

Sugar is not a poison nor is it bad for us in small amounts yet it is being made out to be so. We need sugars to function but perhaps the storm on social media may prove to be a force for good. It is always interesting to watch the profession's reaction on various forums following an event like Sugar Rush and it has at least galvanised the profession and got patients talking. Like I said earlier, I am cynical and now I am sitting eagerly awaiting Jamie's new book which will undoubtedly be titled along the lines of ‘Jamie's Low Sugar tasty meals’ which will use expensive ingredients and may well be beyond the reach of those that really do need to stop buying the four pack of chocolate bars for one because they are cheaper than four apples. Pukka.

Dominique Tillen

– Harnessing the power of communities to reduce tooth decay in children

Following numerous TV programme covering the appalling scenarios for young children's dental health I welcome Jamie's sugary drinks tax initiative which is taking positive action to prevent tooth decay.

Similar to his reaction during the television programme, I could not fail to be moved by the sight of little Mario having his milk teeth removed, but what saddened me more, was when the surgeon said that there were another five cases like Mario in the same operating theatre that day.

Statistics from Royal College of Surgeons (Jan 2015) report ‘ The State of Children's Oral Health in England’ show that the peak age of having a tooth removed for decay is five years old. Tooth decay doesn't happen overnight, it is the result of poor oral hygiene and frequent exposure of teeth to sugars during the first five years of life. Indeed the report states that 30% of children under five have tooth decay.

While dental health professionals have been provided with an evidenced based ‘dental tool kit’ and there have been calls for young children to visit the dentist at an earlier age, a wider based community initiative is lacking. I suggest that greater focus is needed where oral care of babies, toddlers and young children takes place, in the community and in the home.

A community approach could include:

Positive attitude change toward primary teeth - a ‘Milk teeth do matter’ campaign

Promotion of ‘Early Years Toothcare’ routine, specifically for under-fives which takes into account care of toothless gums, teething and the first set of teeth

Introduction of oral hygiene practices at an earlier age in order to establish good habits e.g. teaching young children how to floss

In line with Jamie, action to reduce snacks targeted at this young age group and snacking between meals

Serious consideration of Xylitol as cheap and wide reaching public health measure. Our only disappointment in the current Sugar Tax debate, is that the natural and the ‘good sugar guy’ – Xylitol, whose tooth-friendly properties have been well-documented and used by our Scandinavian neighbours for many years has not been mentioned. Hailed as the ‘biggest advance against cavities since fluoride’ by the BDHF, few people in the UK are aware of the potential benefits of Xylitol.

Change is initiated from the community. The early 2000s saw a revolution in food available for babies and young children led by entrepreneurial parents Paul Lindley (Ella's Kitchen) and Susie Willis (Plum Baby) both dissatisfied with what was available and concerned about obesity. Both have helped raise awareness and improve the quality of foods available.

Likewise Brush-Baby was founded because I was dissatisfied with what was on offer for my young child's oral care and horrified at the appalling statistics. We have all seen the horror programmes on TV, now we need a positive community based initiative and wide reaching messages to prevent tooth decay in our children. Well done Jamie!

Claire Stevens, BDS

– An opportunity to engage and change

The broadcast of Jamie's Sugar Rush was always going to be an interesting one. With the Naked Chef turned public health campaigner declaring war on sugar, the spotlight was only going to shine brighter.

As Sugar Rush opened we jumped straight into graphic scenes of 6-year-old Mario having teeth ‘yanked’ out (Jamie's words, not mine). You certainly couldn't get a more hard-hitting opening and despite similar scenes having been shown in ‘The Dentists’ and ‘Junk Food Kids’, Jamie will have reached a new audience with Sugar Rush and I am sure they were equally appalled.

There were also thought provoking scenes with Consultant Dietician, Lucy Jones, demonstrating the sugar content in a ‘healthy’ breakfast and pre-prepared sauces. Even Jamie who one would assume was fairly savvy on these matters seemed surprised. I do wonder if the general public might have been left feeling confused, perhaps overwhelmed, because it quickly became clear just how easy it would be to exceed the daily recommended levels of sugar intake.

If I were to critique the programme, I felt it could have been a little more balanced. A tax on sugary drinks alone is not the answer to improving oral health, but there was no mention of key preventive messages recommended by paediatric dentists, nor mention of fluoride nor discussion of the fact that it is not just what we eat but also when and how often we eat that will determine caries risk.

Sadly, there was no mention of incentivising healthy choices. Instead Jamie charged on to introduce a tax on sugary drinks in his own restaurants. The food and drinks industry are fighting back hard, their backs perhaps raised as a result of the failure to acknowledge the work already ongoing in product reformation. A discussion of the challenges in changing the nation's palate or curbing the consumer demand for sugar-laden products was nowhere to be seen.

The Jamie Oliver effect is certainly not to be underestimated. At 5pm, prior to the first broadcast, Jamie's petition to introduce a Sugar Tax had around 2000 signatories, by 1pm the following day, the half-way mark of 50,000 supporters was exceeded and now the count stands over the 100,000 needed for the matter to be discussed by parliament. But do the British public really know what they have signed up to? The response was not all positive. After the school dinners campaign, some will see his involvement as intrusive, and his suggestions have been described as ‘nanny state’.

That said, I do welcome Jamie Oliver's involvement and the broadcast of Sugar Rush. I am delighted that the very real impact on oral health was highlighted. My only hope is that Jamie uses his influence wisely, by consulting widely with those working in the field and engaging with industry and government. He has the passion to drive this agenda. I only hope he is appropriately advised to ensure he can bring everyone with him.

Dr Judith Husband

– It could provide the spark, but social change takes time

Sugar, we all love it and we all know the terrible impact it can have on oral health when misused, especially for children.

Some of us are jaded after decades of extracting teeth, witnessing the ever increasing power of big business and the normalisation in our society of very high sugar concentrations in food and drink. The use of advertising and purposeful misuse of the media, together with confusing labelling leads to what can often feel like a battle that can't be won.

Sugar tax is once again a hot topic, for some an ideological issue and perceived infringement of free choice. This is a strong argument, very popular with the sugar industry and food manufacturers.

Free choice requires a level of knowledge, understanding and the ability to opt for an alternative. With ‘hidden’ sugar in our food, nutritional information is represented in a variety of forms often requiring a magnifying glass and doctorate to decipher, or available only online for some restaurant purchases. It takes dedication and significant effort to be fully informed.

The choices we are currently making are also far from free in economic terms. We know the real financial cost of treating dental decay in our own practices, and other health teams know the associated costs of type-2 diabetes and obesity. The majority of which is funded by the public through taxation and provided by an increasingly overstretched and underfunded NHS.

We are already paying for the profits of food manufacturers and poor choices by individuals.

Social change takes time. Its movement is not linear but can be halted or dramatically sped up by using legislation. Some of us remember a time when children climbed around merrily in the back seat of cars, waving or pulling faces through the rear window. My favourite spot was to hang between the front seats peering forward - a perfect position to go hurtling through the windscreen in a crash.

Legislation changed, seat belts initially had to be worn, then child seats were introduced. It's now illegal to have a child unrestrained in a car and more importantly socially unacceptable. Lives have been saved and serious life-changing injuries avoided. This is where legislation is powerful; it hastens behavioural change, remodelling what is considered normal within our society and that is key to the sugar debate.

The income generated from a few pennies on a sugar laden drink are not inconsiderable, and would be a useful addition to the woeful funding for public health and prevention strategies in our communities. The real benefit would be the recognition that sugar is a substance to be used, and enjoyed, sparingly.

A sugar tax could provide the spark, coupled to improved education, prevention programmes and additional legislative change in the future. We have to kick start the dramatic shift in attitudes and behaviour needed to prevent the current tidal wave of sugar related disease and disability that we face today.

Alexis Poole, (ANutr)

– A small step to tackling a big issue

Obesity levels in the United Kingdom have reached epidemic proportions and, therefore, I believe this documentary is just what the doctor ordered.

Sugar has come under a lot of scrutiny of late and for good reason. This year the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) released new recommendations for sugar following a review of the current evidence base. Free-sugar intakes are now recommended to be below 5% of total energy intakes. 1 This equates to less than 7 teaspoons (30g) of sugar per day for individuals above 11 years. ‘Free-sugars’ are classified as sugars added to food or naturally present in honey, syrup and unsweetened fruit juices, however this excludes lactose in milk and milk products and sugars in fruit and vegetables. The evidence that prompted this lower sugar intake requirement found that free-sugar consumption contributes to higher energy intakes, weight gain in children, tooth decay and type-2 diabetes (T2D). 1

Jamie's documentary emphasised the urgency for dietary change to support the new recommendations. We live in an obesogenic environment, surrounded by high sugar, fat and salt foods, making weight gain exceptionally easy. Self-regulation and responsibility within the food industry have not been effective at reducing obesity levels and this is exactly why governmental regulation is required. I passionately support the introduction of a sugar tax. The action proposed against sugar is not to eliminate it completely from the diet. Sugars are carbohydrates, an essential macronutrient, and a vital component of foods such as fruit, vegetables and dairy products, contributing to a balanced diet. The issue is that sugars are being consumed at levels well over what is physiologically required.

One culprit that received attention in Thursday's documentary was the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SBB). Intake of SBBs, which has increased in parallel with the rising prevalence of obesity, is significantly associated with a higher incidence of T2D. 2 What was once considered an adult onset disease is now present in children and adolescents, contributing to the enormous economic strain on the NHS. This is not to say sugar or SBB are the sole contributors, for the aetiology of obesity and T2D is complex, however, there is certainly evidence for an association and opportunity for intervention.

So will this tax make a difference? Surely 20p per litre is not enough to prevent purchase and consumption of sugar sweetened beverages? With promising results in Mexico, I have every reason to remain optimistic. Moreover, I personally feel as though the greatest benefit accrued from such a tax will be the money that is generated, and its potential impact. According to Mr. Oliver the tax could raise £1 billion yearly, which he would like to fund nutrition education in schools and obesity prevention strategies for the NHS. School based education programmes, aimed at reducing SSB consumption, have already proven effective. 3 Funding aimed at supporting these programmes could ensure they are implemented in the near future.

This is a small step towards tackling an enormous health issue, nevertheless, it has raised its public profile and begun to generate the need for governmental action. Great work Jamie!

Public Health England. SACN carbohydrates and health report. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sacn-carbohydrates-and-health-report (Accessed September 2015).

Imamura F et al . Consumption of sugar sweetened beverages, artificially sweetened beverages, and fruit juice and incidence of type 2 diabetes: systematic review, meta-analysis, and estimation of population attributable fraction. BMJ 2015; 351 : 3576.

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Avery A, Bostock L, McCullough F. A systematic review investigating interventions that can help reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in children leading to changes in body fatness. J Hum Nutr Diet 2015; 28 : 52–64.

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Jamie's Sugar Rush – what do we think? . BDJ Team 2 , 15122 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/bdjteam.2015.122

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Published : 25 September 2015

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Case Study: Changing the World, One Documentary at a Time

By Gary Weimberg

On September 10, 1999 Dylcia Pagan walked out of her prison cell in the Federal Correctional Institute in Dublin, California. Her incarceration as a political prisoner in the United States was over. She had served 19 years of her 55 year sentence. She had been set free by an act of Executive Clemency from then President Bill Clinton.

The documentary The Double Life of Ernesto Gomez Gomez that we had made about her, her son Ernesto, her years as a political prisoner, and her political struggle for the independence of Puerto Rico, had aired on the PBS series P.O.V just 8 weeks before.

For over 6 years my wife, Catherine Ryan and myself and worked on this documentary as part of an international grassroots campaign to achieve this very thing: freedom for Dylcia and 11 other Puerto Rican nationalists who were serving lengthy prison terms for their political belief in the independence of Puerto Rico.

I have never had a more profoundly emotional and beautiful moment in my life than there outside the prison, when Dylcia took her first free steps and was finally reunited with her son in freedom. Then we all drove off to the airport together, to go to Puerto Rico to begin her new life.

Arriving in Puerto Rico, 10,000 cheering people greeted her at the airport.

The experience was unforgettable, seared into my memory, and it remains to this day a high point of my life and of my lifelong commitment to activism and media. We had begun this work with hope, but without a real expectation of victory. We had begun as a matter of principle, to fight the good fight: for the rights of political prisoners, for the rights of prisoners victimized by injustice in general, for the principle of self-determination of peoples, causes so noble and worthwhile that we never believed with certainty that we would achieve a victory.

That it came to be makes it all the more worthwhile to look at the reasons why.

How it began

In the early 1980’s a small group of us worked together to make a series of documentaries about El Salvador in opposition to the US funded war there. We tried many different styles and techniques in a search to be effective, from “objective journalist” to “strident advocate.”

The most effective of these was Maria’s Story , a personal biography of a peasant woman, mother, leader, and revolutionary, broadcast on P.O.V in 1992. What worked so well was the program’s specificity: one woman’s life story. Inside of her life, we could explore the truth of the general injustice of the situation of El Salvador. Viewers might disagree with Maria, but they couldn’t disagree with the reality of her life.

The second and even more important reason for the effective nature of Maria’s Story is that we made it in conjunction with CISPES (Committee In Solidarity with the People of El Salvador) . The grassroots usefulness of the project was tested and reviewed at screenings and fundraisers from day one. The documentary was not made by us as outsiders, nor advanced as a “top down” solution. It was made hand in hand with the people doing the work, who knew what was needed, who held work-in-progress screenings at countless political events and fielded the questions and the praise, and who never failed to be passionate about the importance of the documentary we were producing.

That became our road map for our other political film work and as that work continued, eventually in 1994, we met Dylcia’s son, Ernesto Gomez-Gomez.

Ernesto was 15 years old when we met. As a child he had been raised under another identity in Mexico because Dylcia wanted to protect him from political harassment. In Mexico, when he turned 10, his Mexican family finally told him the truth: that he was adopted, that his mother was in prison in the United States. So at age 15, he had come to the US to live in San Francisco, near to the prison where his mother was being held, to visit her and to build a mother-son relationship.

His guardian was a dedicated woman, a Puerto Rican nationalist and activist. She moved to San Francisco just to be his guardian and it was she who realized how lonely he was. At that time Ernesto did not speak English and he found no one in his high school who could relate to the issues of his life, or of the lives of political prisoners.

Because of our past work, his guardian suggested that we take him out to a meal and a movie. We got along immediately. He borrowed a copy of Maria’s Story to watch. The next day he came by and asked, “Could we make a movie that would help free my mom from prison?”

And so it began.

The grassroots plan

We were 4 months into it when Ernesto told us he was invited to go to a conference in Puerto Rico on the nationalist political prisoners and asked if we wanted to come. We did and got introduced to some brilliant activists (Jan Sussler, Luis Nieves Falcon, and others) who had a plan.

In 1992, shortly after Clinton was elected for his first term, these activists anticipated that Clinton would win a second term and so in 7 years time, at the end of the 2nd term, he would be a lame duck President with nothing to lose. That was the optimum moment, they reasoned, to achieve for executive clemency for the Puerto Rican political prisoners. They began an international campaign, planned to culminate in 7 years, to create the strongest possible petitions for clemency, and with petitions and demonstrations and the written support of Nobel Peace Prize winners from around the world, convince the President of the injustice of the lengthy prison sentences.

Two years later, 1994, we show up with Ernesto and our still-unformed documentary and they immediately promoted us to be the media wing of the campaign. Our goal and theirs would share a strategic vision and timeline, planned to coincide with 1999.

The use of the video by the movement

It took 5 years to complete the documentary, but through out the entire time, just as we had with Maria’s Story , we used clips and fundraising reels at events. Portions of The Double Life of Ernesto Gomez Gomez were shown at nearly 100 events and helped to raise thousands of dollars for the movement. We never refused an activist request to show the video, in fact we never even wanted to refuse. Those screenings became our psychic re-charger when faced with the often dismal reality of political film making.

In return, the movement came to our aid when we were challenged by James Yee Executive Director of ITVS to prove that there would be national interest in a Puerto Rican issue. With in a few weeks the movement was able to generate a couple hundred letters from people around the country who had seen portions of the video and could testify to what it meant to them.

We also promised ourselves and others never to raise money for the video that would take away support for the movement. Video is so expensive that we were concerned it would become a drag on the direct organizing needs. So we tried to use the video as a tool to create new support, new dollars. In the end, I can only wish we were more successful in this regard. The truth is that we raised a limited amount of money and mostly supported the project ourselves, around other jobs. But in an era of inexpensive camcorders and home computer editing systems, everything is possible.

Another important benefit of this true and active collaboration was that whenever the valid question came up of “who are these white people?” we were never compelled to defend ourselves. Puerto Rican activists with years in the movement could speak of the real collaboration that was occurring. We ourselves have always been sensitive to the issue of cultural imperialism, the story of Puerto Rican nationalism is not ours to tell. It was incumbent on us to demonstrate that we could be faithful to other people’s story, and contribute by helping them to tell their own story for themselves.

In a small way, this collaboration was wonderfully illustrated in the final translation/voice over session, where people from California, New York, Illinois, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, El Salvador all worked and argued together over the correct way to translate the English in the video into a trans-national Spanish.

The results

Most amazing of all, was that it worked.

The timeline, the strategy, and the response was exactly as those brilliant activists had planned 7 years before. The additional component of a national broadcast of The Double Life of Ernesto Gomez Gomez in the P.O.V series on PBS was helpful both inside the movement, gearing up for the final push; and also it was helpful in discussions with the White House Chief Counsel, Charles Ruff who watched it the week before he made his recommendation for clemency.

Besides the broadcast, the documentary won a number of film festival awards: Best Documentary at the Big Muddy Film Festival, Best Documentary at the San Antonio Cine Festival, Grand Jury Prize (for best film overall) at the Image (Atlanta) Film & Video Festival, Documentary Competition Winner at the Athens International Film & Video Festival, Award of Merit from LASA 2000 (Latin American Studies Association), and a nomination from the Director’s Guild of America for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary, 1999. The film was screened at the Berlin Film Festival and 21 others.

The lessons

For political activists and advocacy film makers, these then are the things I come away with as lessons:

Don’t focus on the issue. Focus on a person. It is the individual human experience (or small group) that illustrates the truth of larger societal issues. But our human compassion and understanding is best reached by the stories of people, not by generalizations. If your issue is real, find the human face that exemplifies it.
Collaborate actively with existing grass roots organizations. Don’t go it alone, don’t think you know it all, don’t re-invent the wheel. Someone out there is already doing what you think needs to be done.
Have a strategic goal. Don’t just shoot. Think about what it is you wish to accomplish, or find others who have already thought about it. Make every minute, every dollar, every effort count.
Small is beautiful. Don’t get caught up in expensive gear / crew / production. Don’t get caught up in endless fundraising. Embrace your limitations, start shooting and create your path one step at time.
Si se puede! Most importantly of all, the lesson of The Double Life of Ernesto Gomez-Gomez is simply this: si se puede . Yes it can be done.

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