STACK NZ Jul #64

Q&A

DVD & BD

NO SUGARCOATING THE TRUTH In That Sugar Film , Australian actor/director Damon Gameau set out to discover just how much of the sweet stuff is contained in what we assume are healthy foods. He tells STACK that everyone was surprised by the results.

STACK : For those who haven’t seen the film, tell us a little bit about it. DAMON GAMEAU: Basically I go on a sugar eating binge for 60 days, eating 40 teaspoons a day – which is what the average Australian is eating – but only found in perceived 'healthy' foods like low fat yoghurt, cereals and juices. No junk food was allowed. What prompted you to make the film? I was aware of the constant ambiguous messages around sugar in the media – some of which is deliberately done by the food industry as I discovered – and so want to find out the truth for myself. Plus we had a baby on the way, so that upped the ante. That Sugar Film shares some similarities with Morgan Spurlock’s acclaimed documentary Super Size Me . Are you a fan of that film? I was a big fan and actually spoke to Morgan early on in the hope that he could be in the film as some kind of 'grand master lab rat' who would oversee my adventure. I knew there would be comparisons, but I didn't know how else to find out the truth; I couldn't ask someone else to do the experiment. The main difference in the films is that I don't think many people eat McDonalds three times a day, whereas billions of people are eating the foods I consumed every day.  Were you surprised how quickly your diet affected your physical condition? Everyone was, especially the doctors and scientists. No-one has ever done a fructose eating experiment before and so developing fatty liver disease in just 18 days was a shock for all. What was the hardest part of following the eating regime?

screenings for staff. They are all aware the scientific evidence is mounting and that a change is coming. Being a capitalist structure, they will want to adapt in order to survive. What do you hope viewers will take away from the film? That they will be empowered to make smarter food choices for themselves and they families. They don't have to 'quit' or cut out sugar, they just need to be aware of where it is hiding so they know how much they are actually having. The World Heath Organisation recommends just six teaspoons a day for optimal health… we are a long way from that as a population. I think what people need to realise is that sugar does most of its damage on the inside. The weight gain is one aspect but the links to type 2 diabetes and heart disease is far more frightening. Are there an extra or additional features on the DVD and Blu-ray edition? Well, the first cut of the film was three hours and 45 minutes, as there is so much to tell of the sugar story. The DVD has 12 extra short films on a range of topics plus an interview with Stephen Fry about his struggles with sugar and most importantly, a karaoke version of the sugar song!

Definitely the mental toll. I felt lethargic and the constant roller coaster of sending my insulin spiking up and down throughout the day was very difficult. I think many may live like this and not be aware of it. Did you ever get to the stage of thinking “I don’t want to do this anymore”? Absolutely, especially towards the end. The main concern was that my lady was eight months pregnant and I had a real fear of being stuck in the US filming, fat and grumpy.

How have the various food companies reacted to the film – no threats of legal action? We had five lawyers look at the film prior to release and made sure we weren't crossing any lines. We have actually been approached by quite a few large companies who have wanted

• That Sugar Film is out on July 9

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