Documentary
United States of America
Fat Fiction is a documentary film directed by Jennifer Isenhart that explores the history and impact of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines on American diets. The film features interviews with leading health experts and researchers who question the conventional wisdom that saturated fats are bad for our health.
The film traces the history of dietary advice in the United States, which has long focused on reducing fat intake and increasing consumption of carbohydrates. This dietary advice was enshrined in the first set of U.S. Dietary Guidelines in 1980, which recommended limiting fat intake to no more than 30% of daily calories.
Over the years, this advice has been interpreted to mean that saturated fats, found in foods like butter, cheese, and meat, are particularly bad for our health. However, the film highlights recent research that challenges this view, suggesting that not all fats are created equal and that some may even be beneficial for our health.
The film features interviews with a wide range of experts, including cardiologists, nutritionists, and chefs, who share their perspectives on the science behind our dietary recommendations and the cultural and political forces that have shaped them.
Ultimately, Fat Fiction encourages viewers to question the conventional wisdom around what we should be eating and to take a more nuanced, individualized approach to our diets. Through a combination of scientific analysis and personal stories, the film aims to spark a broader conversation about what it means to be healthy in the modern world.
