Fed Up

The documentary looks for the cause of rising obesity in America not in personal will but in the food industry. Its centre is sugar: it describes how sugar was added to cover the loss of taste when fat was removed, how the low-fat label conceals that, and how school meals were filled with these products. Stephanie Soechtig combines the research with the industry's lobbying, with how attempts at regulation were stopped, and with the parallels to the tobacco industry. Katie Couric narrates. The film also follows several children over a few years and shows the failure they meet while trying to lose weight. Industry representatives refused interview requests, and that too is inside the film. Who it is for: viewers who like documentaries on food policy and public health. Who it is not for: anyone expecting balance, since the film argues its case.