"Diet Wars"

ABOUT THE FILM:

Americans spend $40 billion a year on books, products, and
programs designed to do one thing: help us lose weight. From
Atkins to Ornish and Weight Watchers to the South Beach Diet,
today's dieters have a dizzying array of weight loss programs from
which to choose -- yet the underlying principles of these diets are
often contradictory. Is low fat better than low carb? Is Atkins the
answer? And has the USDA food pyramid done more harm than
good? FRONTLINE examines the great diet debate.

A NOTE TO TEACHERS:
For classes in Science, Health, Social Studies, Language Arts and
Current Events; grade level 9th-12th

According to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy

Thompson, "We're just too darn fat, ladies and gentlemen, and
we're going to do something about it." Americans are getting fatter
and are looking for quick ways to lose weight. However, there are
no easy answers and many conflicting diet theories. For example,
two popular diets offer very different approaches. The Atkins diet
allows fats but few carbohydrates, while the Ornish diet allows
carbohydrate but almost no fats.

Despite the numerous popular diets, schools still look to the USDA
food pyramid as a model for proper diets. In 1992, the USDA revised
the food pyramid, which limited the amount of fat and emphasized
carbohydrates as the basis of a healthy diet; yet Americans
continue to gain weight. "Diet Wars" provides provocative coverage
of what one expert calls "one of the biggest public health failures in
history." It creates a frightening picture of health issues in America
today in which:

• Two-thirds of American women and half of American men want

to lose weight
• Obesity now rivals smoking as a major cause of death
• More than half of Americans are overweight
• 30 percent of Americans are clinically obese
• Greater numbers of children are suffering from type 2 diabetes
-- which used to be called "adult-onset" diabetes -- a disease
associated with diet and lifestyle
• 40 billion dollars per year is being spent, with very poor
results, on the diet industry
• 90 percent of dieters gain back everything they have lost
1
 within a year

This program encourages students to:

• Learn about health issues facing Americans today
• Examine the USDA food pyramid and the impact that it may
have had on weight gain
• Question their own diet habits
• Explore the impact of body image on young people

LESSON PLANS:

PRE-VIEWING LESSON PLAN:

Examining Medical Terms
Students will take a pre-test to determine their understanding
of medical terms and key ideas in the documentary and
compare their definitions to those in a glossary

VIEWING LESSON PLAN:

True and False Viewing Guide
While viewing, students will correct and expand on their pre-
viewing test of health issues.

Analyzing Factors that Affect Health

As the students watch the documentary, they will identify
positive and negative influences on health.

POST-VIEWING LESSON PLAN:

Learning About My Eating Habits
Students will learn about and evaluate their own food
consumption. They will also examine their school lunch
program.

Food in America
Students will examine the diets of early Americans, compare
and contrast various diets in the U.S. and explore the impact
that immigrants and technology have had on American diets.

EXTENDING THE LESSON:

What Is My Body Mass Index?
Students can calculate their body mass and read about why
this is a good measure of their weight and health.

The Creation of the Federal Food and Drug Administration

Students can examine how and why the Food and Drug
Administration was created.

2
 Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes
Students can read this novel about how two high school
students deal with "terminal uglies" by forming a bond that
allows them to finally stand up for themselves.

Purchasing the Video

"Diet Wars" can be purchased from ShopPBS for Teachers.
[http://teacher.shop.pbs.org/home/index.jsp] Note: The film is
also being streamed in full on the "Diet Wars" Web site.
[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/diet/]
Credits
Credits
This teacher's guide was developed by Simone Bloom Nathan of
Media Education Consultants. It was written by Pat Grimmer, chair
of the Social Studies Department at Carbondale Community High
School in Carbondale, Ill. Ellen Greenblatt of University High School,
San Francisco was an adviser.

3
PRE-VIEWING LESSON PLAN:
Examining Medical Terms

Lesson Objectives:
In this lesson students will:
• Evaluate their understanding of medical terms
• Discuss the meanings of these terms with their classmates
• Compare their definitions to a glossary of terms

Materials Needed:
• A computer with Internet access
• Copies of the two student worksheets

Time Needed:
The lessons will take 15–60 minutes, depending upon the number
of options that are selected.

Procedure:
This lesson is divided into two steps:

Step One
1. Ask students to define as many of the terms on the
Evaluation of Medical Terms as possible.
2. After completion, students should compare their definitions
with those of their classmates.

Step Two
1. Students should read the Glossary of Medical Terms and
compare it to their answers on the Evaluation of Medical
Terms worksheet.
2. Teachers of science and health classes might prefer to have
students create more complete glossaries by adding
information to Glossary of Medical Terms or Evaluation of
Medical Terms.
Additional information can be found at:
http://www.medterms.com/script/main/hp.asp

This site, created through a network of United States Board

Certified Physician and Allied Health Professionals, provides a
comprehensive search engine for medical knowledge. It
provides information on all aspects of health and medicine.

Method of Assessment:
Students should turn in their two pre-viewing worksheets.

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 "Diet Wars": Student Worksheet
Evaluation of Medical Terms – Previewing Sheet #1
Note to students: You will be viewing a documentary that deals with a national health
crisis. To understand the issues, it is important for you to know the meaning of terms
used in the discussion. Try to write a definition for each of the following. You are not
expected to know precise scientific definitions. These will be provided for you later.

1. Body Mass Index

2. Calorie

3. Cholesterol

4. Glucose

5. Glycogen

6. Glycemic Index

7. Insulin

8. Obesity

9. Pancreas

10. Saturated Fats

11. Unsaturated Fats

12. Trans Fats

5
 "Diet Wars": Student Worksheet
Glossary of Medical Terms – Previewing Sheet #2
Note to Students: Read the following definitions and compare them
to your answers. Underline the terms that you feel you correctly
defined.

Body Mass Index

A measure of body fat that is calculated based on your height and
weight.

Calorie
A measure of energy that is created by foods and used by the body.
It is recommended that girls between the ages of 14–18 should
consume about 2200 calories a day, while boys between 14-18
should consume about 3000 calories a day. You can find more about
the amount of calories recommended for young people going to the
following site:
http://www.bcm.tmc.edu/cnrc/consumer/archives/percentDV.htm

Cholesterol
A fat-like substance that is found in certain foods and is also
produced in the body. Cholesterol travels through the bloodstream
in different packages called lipoproteins. Low-density lipoproteins
(LDL or "bad" cholesterol) deliver cholesterol to the body, while
high-density lipoproteins (HDL or "good" cholesterol) take
cholesterol out of the bloodstream. There is a correlation between
high blood-cholesterol levels and heart disease.

Glucose
A simple sugar that is the main source of energy for the body.

Glycogen
A starch that is stored in the muscles and liver that maintains blood
sugar levels between meals. It is the form in which carbohydrates
are stored in animals and humans.

Glycemic Index
Shows how different types of carbohydrate-containing foods can
raise the blood glucose levels within two hours. Carbohydrates that
raise the blood sugar the fastest, such as potatoes, have the
highest glycemic index.

6
Insulin
The body manufactures this natural hormone to control the level of
sugar glucose in the blood.

Obesity
A condition of being more than 20 percent over one's recommended
weight.

Pancreas
This organ creates juices and hormones, including insulin, that help
digest food.

Saturated Fats
Fats contained in dairy products, meat, poultry and vegetables.
These fats, such as butter, are solid at room temperature.
Saturated fats have been found to raise cholesterol levels.

Unsaturated Fats
Fats that are liquid at room temperature. They are contained in fish
and plant products. Unsaturated fats have been found to lower
cholesterol levels.

Trans Fats
Fats that are artificially created through a chemical process of the
hydrogenation of oils. This solidifies the oil and limits the body's
ability to regulate cholesterol. These fats are considered to be the
most harmful to one's health. The Federal Drug Administration has
mandated that the amount of trans fats be labeled on food
products by 2005.

7
VIEWING LESSON PLAN:
True and False Viewing Guide

Lesson Objectives:
In this lesson students will either:
• Identify issues in the documentary by answering the true and
false questions prior to viewing "Diet Wars"
• Watch the documentary "Diet Wars" and correct the true and
false answers
OR
As the students watch the documentary they will:
• Identify things that positively influence health
• Identify things that negatively influence health

Materials Needed:
• The film "Diet Wars"
• Enough copies of either Student Viewing Guide #1 or #2 for
each student

Time Needed:
Students will need one hour for viewing the documentary.

Procedure for Viewing Guide #1: True and False

Tell students that they will be answering questions on the viewing
guide to identify key issues in the documentary and test their
knowledge of health issues. They will answer the questions before
viewing and correct them as they view the film.

Procedure for Viewing Guide #2: Analyzing Factors that Affect

Health
Assign each student to one of two groups. Tell students that one
group will take notes on people, practices and products in the film
that may be harmful to good health while the other group will take
notes on people, practices and products in the film that may be
beneficial to good health.

Method of Assessment:
Participation in class discussion that focuses on:
• What is the state of our nation's health today?
• What has caused this?
• What can be done to change this situation?
Completed viewing guide

8
 "Diet Wars": Student Worksheet
Student Viewing Guide # 1: True and False
Note to Students:
Answer the following questions as true or false prior to viewing the
documentary. You are not expected to know all of the answers.
However, you may know much more about health issues than you
realize! Make corrections as you view the documentary.

1. December is the most common time for people to go on diets.

___
2. One way to determine if people are overweight is to measure
their Body Mass Index (BMI). ___
3. Blood glucose checks are made to determine if people are
overweight. ___
4. Approximately one-third of Americans are overweight. ___
5. Animal fats are considered to be very healthy. ___
6. The Atkins diet encourages people to eat fat. ___
7. The USDA food pyramid encourages people to eat pasta, bread
and potatoes. ___
8. Most popular diets today are very similar to one another. ___
9. Low-fat foods are not fattening. ___
10. You gain more weight eating 3,000 calories in fat than eating
3,000 calories in carbohydrates. ___
11. A baked potato increases levels of blood sugar more quickly
than an equal amount of pure table sugar. ___
12. Some people believe that the Atkins diet contributed to Dr.
Atkins' death. ___
13. Some fats are good for your health. ___
14. Generally only about 30 to 50 percent of the people who have
lost weight regain it. ___
15. People consume food when it is not mealtime. ___
16. People in England are starting to develop weight problems. ___
17. Children born in the year 2000 have a 50 percent chance of
developing diabetes over the course of their lifetime. ___
18. Many school menus are filled with artery-clogging fats. ___
19. Children today are more physically active than children in the
past. ___
20. Walking does not provide sufficient exercise to lose weight. ___
21. McDonald's has a new healthy Happy Meal. ___
22. Obesity will soon surpass smoking as the leading cause of
death. ___

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ANSWER KEY
1. False - Most diets begin in January.
2. True
3. False - Blood glucose tests check for diabetes.
4. False – Two-thirds of Americans are overweight.
5. False – Animal fats are unhealthy.
6. True
7. True
8. False – Most diets are quite different in their approach to
weight loss.
9. False – Calories are the basis for weight gain. Low-fat foods
can be very high in sugar.
10. False – You would gain the same amount of weight.
11. True
12. True
13. True
14. False - Around 90 percent of people gain back their weight
losses.
15. True
16. True
17. True
18. True
19. False – Children were more physically active in the past.
20. False – Walking is an excellent way to lose weight.
21. True
22. True

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 "Diet Wars": Student Worksheet

Analyzing Factors that Affect Health

Viewing Guide #2
Note to Students: You will be viewing a documentary that
examines a major health problem that is facing our nation. It
explores how diets have changed over time and the impact this has
had on health. The documentary identifies a number of people,
practices and products that have influenced health in America. You
will be assigned to take notes on either positive or negative health
practices that are presented in the film. At the end of the film you
will contribute to a class discussion, that will examine major points
in the documentary.

Circle which of the following you have been assigned to take notes
on:

Positive Health Influences

Negative Health Influences

People or Organizations:

Practices (Diets, Activities, Lifestyle, etc.):

Products (Foods, Additives, Production Techniques etc.):

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POST-VIEWING LESSON PLAN:
Learning About My Eating Habits

Lesson Objectives:
This lesson is divided into two parts.
In this lesson students will:

Part I
• Estimate what they eat on an average day
• Compile a list of everything they eat and drink for one day
This part will not be turned in for a grade. This is a private
exercise for the student to consider their own eating habits.

Part II
• Examine what constitutes a serving of food
• Compare their food choices to the foods on the USDA food
pyramid
• Analyze their school lunch program
This part will be turned in for a grade.

Materials Needed
• Computers with Internet access
• Copies of student worksheets:
1. What Constitutes a Serving?
2. What Do I Think I Eat? What Do I Eat?
3. The USDA Food Pyramid
4. "Let me introduce you to lunch at my school"

NOTE: Teachers may need to supply examples of food serving

sizes. Sometimes it is helpful for students to think of serving sizes
as something more tangible, such as a deck of cards or the size of a
fist.

Time Needed:
• Students will need to keep records of their food intake for one
day. This will not be turned in.
• They will need 30–60 minutes in class to complete the
Internet exercises.
• Students will need to have two days of homework
assignments to complete the paper.

Procedure:
Tell students that they will be looking at their dietary habits and
comparing them to national guidelines. Students should not be
required to turn this in. However, you should emphasize that this
12
will help them to understand what impact their consumption of
certain kinds of foods has on their health.
• Ask students to read the worksheet: "What Is a Serving?"
• Have students keep a daily list of everything they eat and
drink
• Have students compare their diet with the food pyramid

Students will then complete the worksheet: "Let me introduce you

to lunch at my school."

Method of Assessment:
Students should turn in
• Completed worksheet on the food pyramid (Worksheet #3)
• Student Paper: "Let me introduce you to lunch at my school"

13
 "Diet Wars": Student Worksheet
POST –VIEWING SHEET #1
What Is a Serving?
Note to Students
You are going to estimate the amount of food that you eat and
drink each day. In order to do this, you need to know what
constitutes a serving. Please read the following chart carefully so
you can accurately complete the worksheet.

What is a Serving?
Serving sizes are listed below. If you choose to eat double the
amount of a serving size then you will need to list this as two
servings. It is not necessary to have exact measures, but try to
accurately estimate the amount of food you eat. The USDA suggests
that you look at the main ingredients in your foods and then break
it into food groups. As an example, a generous serving of cheese
pizza, would be divided into the grain group (crust), the milk group
(cheese) and the vegetable group (tomato).

This chart is found on:

http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/food/food-pyramid/main.htm

WHAT COUNTS AS A SERVING?

Food Groups
Breads, Cereal, Rice and Pasta
1 slice of bread 1 ounce of ready to-eat 1/2 cup of cooked
cereal cereal, rice, or pasta
Vegetable
1 cup of raw leafy 1/2 cup of other 3/4 cup of vegetable
vegetables vegetables, cooked or raw juice
Fruit
1 medium apple, 1/2 cup of chopped, 3/4 cup of fruit juice
banana, orange cooked, or canned fruit
Milk, Yogurt and Cheese
1 cup of milk or 1 1/2 ounces of natural 2 ounces of process
yogurt cheese cheese
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs and Nuts
2-3 ounces of 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans or 1 egg counts as 1
cooked lean meat, ounce of lean meat. 2 tablespoons of peanut
poultry, or fish butter or 1/3 cup of nuts count as 1 ounce of
meat.

14
 "Diet Wars": Student Worksheet

POST-VIEWING SHEET #2
Note to students: You will not be required to turn this in. It is to
help you understand your eating habits.

Today: What Do I Think I Eat?

Think about an average day in your life. What do you think you
generally consume in a 24-hour period? Use the chart on the "What
Is a Serving?" worksheet to help you approximate the amounts that
you consume. Many things you eat and drink may not be on the
chart. That is fine. Try to be as honest as possible.

Tomorrow: What Do I Eat?

Tomorrow you will be recording everything you eat and drink. Be
sure to write down the amount of servings using the above chart.
Try to be as careful as possible so that you can learn about your
eating habits.

Self Evaluation
How does what I think I eat compare with what I actually eat? How
do my serving sizes compare with suggested serving sizes?

15
 "Diet Wars": Student Worksheet
POST-VIEWING SHEET # 3
The USDA Food Pyramid
Note to students: The "Diet Wars" program discussed many kinds of
diets. It looked closely at the USDA food pyramid. How does your diet
compare to the pyramid? To find the answer go to the following Web site:
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/food/food-pyramid/main.htm

You will be turning this section in for a grade. Read the information
that examines the food pyramid and answer the following questions:

The Food Guide Pyramid: A Guide to Daily Food Choices

Food Group: Bread, Cereal, Rice and Pasta
How many servings does the pyramid recommend?
Did you eat more or less of them?
Food Group: Vegetable Group
How many servings does the pyramid recommend?
Did you eat more or less of them?
Fruit Group: Fruit
How many servings does the pyramid recommend?
Did you eat more or less of them?
Food Group: Milk Yogurt and Cheese
How many servings does the pyramid recommend?
Did you eat more or less of them?
Food Group: Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs and Nut Group
How many servings does the pyramid recommend?
Did you eat more or less of them?

Looking At Pieces of the Pyramid

Fats, Oils and Sweets
Continue to read the information in this section of the Web site.
• What foods do you eat that are found in the small tip of the pyramid?
• Compare the foods that you eat in this part of the pyramid to foods
that you eat in the five food categories?
• What percent of your foods are in the fat, oils and sweet category?
•
How to Make the Pyramid Work for You
Continue reading the information in the section "How to Make the Pyramid
Work for You." If you feel you would like to change your eating habits,
discuss this with your parents, doctor or teacher. The documentary "Diet
Wars" pointed out that there is great confusion about the kinds of diets
available. Some diets may actually hurt your health. This exercise was an
attempt to help you think about what you eat and how it may influence
your body, not to recommend a particular diet.

16
 "Diet Wars": Student Worksheet
Post-Viewing Sheet #4
"Let me introduce you to lunch at my school"

Note to students: You have looked at some of the diet issues that
face our nation. Some of you have examined your own diet and
compared it to the food pyramid. However, healthy eating is not just
about what you consume, but the amount of pleasure that you
receive from your meals. How food is presented and the
environment in which you eat it is also part of a healthy diet. You
are going to write a two-page (500-word) paper that examines
lunch at your school. Please include the following:

• What were the lunch choices for the last week?

• What did most people choose?
• Why did they choose this?
• Why do some students choose to bring their lunch from home?
• Describe the lunchtime environment.
• Were the foods attractively presented?
• Did the food choices fit into the recommended amounts
suggested in the food pyramid?
• What would you change if you were in control of the
lunchroom?

17
POST-VIEWING LESSON PLANS:

A History of Changing Foods

Lesson Objectives:
This lesson is divided into two parts.
In this lesson students will:
• Examine how and why foods have changed over time
• Have an opportunity to look at specific food changes and
recipes from different time periods

Materials Needed:
• Computers with Internet access
• Student worksheet: "Food In America"

Time Needed:
• 15 – 20 minutes to read the Web site Food in America and
complete the questions. More time will be necessary to
complete the lesson extension.

Procedure:
Ask the students to go to the following Web site and answer the
questions on the student worksheet Food in America:
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/food.cfm

Lesson Extension: Food History Lessons

The following Web site has listings of the kinds of foods consumed
from prehistory to the modern time. It also includes recipes. There
are many wonderful charts, graphs and discussion about food
changes.
Ask the students to go to the following site:
http://www.gti.net/mocolib1/kid/food.html
They should select one of the following options:

• Students should choose a favorite food and look at how it has

been prepared in different time periods.
• Students can add information to the information that they
researched on the worksheet Food in America.
• Students could compare diets from prehistory to the 21st
century.

Method of Assessment:
Students should turn in their completed worksheets

18
 "Diet Wars": Student Worksheet

Food in America

Complete this worksheet by finding information at the following

Web site:

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/food.cfm

1. What kinds of foods did Europeans eat before the Age of

Exploration?

2. What foods were introduced from the New World?

3. Compare and contrast the diets in various regions of the United

States.

4. Summarize the impact that immigrants and technology have had

on American diets.

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EXTENDING THE LESSON:

A. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher

This is an excellent book that explores weight issues and friendship.
The National Council of Teachers of English say that Crutcher
"assures his audience that his writing is not sensationalism or an
attempt to tease with words, but rather, an attempt to record
accurately the way life is." Language arts teachers in 9th and 10th
grades will find that students enjoy reading and discussing this
book.

B. What is my Body Mass Index?

Students can use the following Web sites to calculate their body
mass and read why this is important to their health.
About Teens Health
http://kidshealth.org/teen/misc/about.html
This site is easy for teenagers to use.
Calculate your BMI – American BMI Calculator
http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm
This is a more extensive site, which can be used by teenagers and
adults. It was prepared by the National Institute of Health.

C. The Creation of the Federal Food and Drug Administration

Students can examine how and why the Food and Drug
Administration in this lesson plan from the FRONTLINE teacher's
guide, "The Alternative Fix."
[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/teach/altmed/post
viewing1.html]

Click on: "Regulating Drugs: The Creation of the Food and Drug
Administration"

D. The Edible Schoolyard

http://www.edibleschoolyard.org/homepage.html
"The Edible Schoolyard, in collaboration with Martin Luther King
Junior Middle School in Berkeley California, provides urban public
school students with a one-acre organic garden and a kitchen
classroom. Using food systems as a unifying concept, students learn
how to grow, harvest, and prepare nutritious seasonal produce."
Lesson plans can be found at this site that gives students hands-on
opportunities to understand nutrition.

20
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Information on health and diets:

Nutrition Information and Resource Center
http://nirc.cas.psu.edu/index.cfm

The Nutritional Information and Research Center, created by Penn

State, is an excellent source for nutritional information. It has many
excellent links and will answer questions via e-mail.

Consumer Corner
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/consumersite/justforyou.htm
This site on the Food and Nutritional Information Center at the
National Agricultural Library has many links to answer health
questions.

Food & Nutrition Information Center

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/
This is the homepage for the Food and Nutritional Information
Center at the National Agricultural Library. It has a wide range of
information about food safety, food composition and dietary
guidelines.

Nutritional value of fast food:

Fast Food Facts – Interactive Food Finder
http://www.olen.com/food/

This site, created by Olen Publishing, allows you to check on the

nutritional value of foods served in fast food restaurants. You can
even set criteria for fat and have a search conducted to find
sandwiches in the various restaurants that fit your needs. It allows
you to create a menu based on your nutritional needs so that you
can find healthy choices when you are eating at fast food
restaurants.

Getting soft drinks out of schools:

Taking the Fizz out of Soda Contracts: A Guide to Community
Action
http://www.californiaprojectlean.org/consumer/takingfiz.asp

This site is designed to help people get soft drinks out of public
schools. It contains materials to help create action groups. The
guide provides an array of resources that can be utilized when
discussing school district policy on soda and other sugary drinks

21
with parents, students, community members and school decision-
makers. The guide includes fact sheets on youth soda consumption
and the related health consequences.

History and foods:

The Food Timeline – teacher resources for food history lessons
http://www.gti.net/mocolib1/kid/food.html

This site provides "K-12 Teacher Resources for Food History

Lessons." It includes a Food Timeline tracing the development of
foods and historic recipes. There is a Culinary History Timeline,
which examines customs, menus and manners. This is an excellent
site with very extensive information on all aspects of food.

Food History Timeline

http://www.geocities.com/foodedge/timeline.htm
Twentieth Century Timeline: Edibles and Quaffables looks at
commercial foods that were developed during the 19th, 20th and
21st centuries in America.

Dining Through the Decades: One Hundred Years of Glorious

American Food
http://www.leitesculinaria.com/features/dining.html
This site looks at how food in America has changed during the last
100 years. It includes the history of the changes as well as the
recipes. The information is divided into the 10 decades of the 20th
century.

22