Co-directors Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn explore the links between diet and disease in this discomforting documentary. Onscreen host Andersen, a recovering hypochondriac who grew up in a family beset by serious medical conditions such as heart disease, was inspired to make the film by the World Health Organization's claim that processed meats contribute to cancer. Noticing that major advocacy groups such as the American Diabetes Association continue to recommend these products, Andersen attempts to find the reason for the disconnect, particularly since some spokespeople refuse to talk on camera. Anderson interviews a number of doctors and authors, including clinical researcher Dr. Neal Barnard. As Dr. Milton Mills laments, "We are in the business of treating sick people. We are not in the business of trying to prevent people from being sick." All of the doctors agree that diet is a major factor in disease and that meat consumption can do more harm than sugar and carbohydrates due to the way that the body processes animal protein (even chicken presents problems, since it contains nearly as much cholesterol as red meat, and even more sodium). When the filmmakers visit a North Carolina community adjacent to a hog farm, they find high rates of asthma and cancer due to contaminants in the soil and water. Although a plant-based diet would be healthier, misleading ad campaigns and corporate sponsorship continue to be used to spur consumption of processed meats. Unfortunately, Andersen's Michael Moore-style encounters with advocacy group representatives only add distracting drama. Still, it's hard to deny that corporate America benefits more from a sick populace than a healthy one. A strong optional purchase. Aud: H, C, P. (K. Fennessy)
What the Health
(2017) 92 min. DVD or Blu-ray: $95: public libraries & high schools; $395: colleges & universities. DRA. Tugg. PPR. Volume 32, Issue 5
What the Health
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