Running parallel to the gonzo activist’s mission to map his mental and physical disintegration was a determination to package the experiment in fun and broadly accessible ways. I didn’t expect that to happen so dramatically. “I’d be fine once I had the sugar and then about 45 minutes later I’d get the feeling of being vague and aloof. Gameau says the worst effect of the diet was on his cognition, mood and ability to concentrate. Or words like Mother Nature and a bee and a flower or something. You see some of these products in the supermarket with a sunset on them.
“Where people have been duped is around the lack of integrity and accountability in labelling. “If I’d gone and consumed Mars bars and Cokes the whole time I think we all would know I’d have had ill effects. The kind of products at the heart of advertising campaigns built on extolling their supposed virtues, using faux science and deceptive packaging. This includes cereal, smoothies, muesli bars and low-fat yoghurt. Gameau consumed the typical Australian’s 40 teaspoons of sugar a day, maintained exercise, the same kilojoule intake of his regular diet and – the clincher – only ate foods perceived to be healthy. The twist is that Gameau didn’t splurge on sloppy nosh such as cheeseburgers, chips and sundaes – in other words food everybody knows is bad for you. In short: aforementioned liver disease, 10cm of visceral fat around his waist, mood swings and (according to doctors) early signs of what could lead to coronary problems. This means the slate was clean to test what would happen if he returned to the sweet stuff. The premise of That Sugar Film, Gameau’s debut as a feature film-maker and documentarian, rests on a decision three years ago to eliminate refined sugar from his diet. Not even Daniel Day-Lewis could act fatty liver disease.