"Fat Head" (2009) is a documentary film by Tom Naughton that challenges the conventional wisdom on dietary fat, cholesterol, and heart disease. It is one of the most accessible introductions to the low-carbohydrate perspective.

The Film

Fat Head is a response to Morgan Spurlock's "Super Size Me" (2004). While Spurlock ate only McDonald's food for 30 days and gained weight and health problems, Naughton ate only fast food for 28 days while restricting carbohydrates — and lost weight and improved his health markers.

The film covers:

  • The history of the dietary fat hypothesis (Ancel Keys)
  • The evidence against saturated fat as a cause of heart disease
  • The insulin hypothesis of obesity
  • The role of fructose and refined carbohydrates in metabolic disease
  • The failure of the low-fat dietary guidelines

The Key Arguments

Ancel Keys cherry-picked his data: Keys' Seven Countries Study selected countries that supported his hypothesis and excluded countries that contradicted it. When all available data is included, the correlation between fat intake and heart disease disappears.

The low-fat guidelines caused the obesity epidemic: The 1977 dietary guidelines recommended reducing fat and increasing carbohydrates. Americans complied — and the obesity epidemic began.

The low-fat dietary guidelines of 1977 told Americans to replace fat with carbohydrates. Americans complied. The obesity epidemic began within a decade.

Cholesterol is not the enemy: LDL cholesterol is not inherently harmful. It becomes harmful when oxidized — and the primary cause of LDL oxidation is polyunsaturated fats from industrial seed oils.

Insulin is the key: Obesity is caused by chronically elevated insulin, which is caused by fructose and refined carbohydrates — not by dietary fat.

The Science

The film features interviews with Gary Taubes, Mary Enig, Michael Eades, and other researchers who have challenged the dietary fat hypothesis. The science presented is generally accurate and well-sourced.

Availability

Fat Head is available on YouTube, Amazon Prime, and other streaming platforms. It is an excellent introduction to the low-carbohydrate perspective for a general audience.

Related Films

  • "Sugar Coated" (2015): Documents the sugar industry's campaign to blame fat for heart disease
  • "That Sugar Film" (2014): Australian documentary on the effects of hidden sugar in "healthy" foods
  • "The Magic Pill" (2017): Documents the effects of a ketogenic diet on various health conditions