To view DVD trailer, Click Here

Diet. The word is seductive. It promises prosperity and contentment. In a nation obsessed with BMI's and consumed by an "obesity crisis," it promises a road to better health. However, there are some who disagree. Advocates in the health at every size movement believe that to obtain health and happiness, weight loss is completely unnecessary.

DIETING: At War with our Bodies is a revealing documentary that gives voice to those who resist the notion that the human body, in all its variations, must concede to cultural or clinical ideals. From a group of aspiring nondieters to a divergent obesity researcher, DIETING: At War with our Bodies hears from people attempting to abandon a culture that idealizes the thin, congratulates the dieter and demoralizes the fat. Not an easy personal or political task in the face of prevailing attitudes toward fat within the media, the health community and their peers.

DIETING: At War with our Bodies defies the dominant diet culture, suggesting that we reclaim health, not weight loss, as our lifestyle change goal and let the fat fall where it may.

Handouts for post film discussion:

The film documentary is highly suited for group situations and will create lively discussion. The film documentary is 40 minutes long which makes it suitable for a 1 - 1 1/2 hour presentation viewing film Dieting: At War wtih our Bodies followed by group discussion and questions. Now also available in 7 - 10 minute segments (click on menu ) To assist you with leading a discussion, a discussion handout was developed in conjunction with Francie Berg of Healthy Weight Network. For copies of this document and other supporting materials by Francie Berg (used with permission), click the links fallowing:

(you'll note that the handouts work beautifully with the film documentary and cover the points in Health Care Myths).

Nondieting DVD discussion questions
Celebrate Health At Every Size
Health Care Myths
The Health At Every Size approach

"Powerful, terrific, great, phenomenal, fantastic, incredibly uplifting, I really love it" -- describes this new film documentary!

Review by Dietitians of Canada (Click HERE)

Comments/feedback on film documentary:

We have received rave reviews and great encouragement on the film documentary to date. All reviews are passed on to the producers of the film who are very open to comments and suggestions for any changes for possible future edits.

Initial Reviews/comments/feedback:


"Oh my! The DVD is PHENOMENAL! I am very impressed with the caliber of researchers who are featured in the program and the way the entire dvd is produced. Beautiful! " Dr. Elayne Daniels, Boston, MA, clinical psychologist specializing in eating and weight issues.

"I think it is really powerful and well done. I have only used it in one class so far. It stimulated some good conversation. This class was mostly undergraduates and they had some difficulty in the fact that most of the folks in the film were fairly large. They had difficulty believing that they were telling the truth when they said they were beginning to like their bodies. I think this was more of a reflection of their own fears and biases than a commentary on the film."
Jon Robison, PhD, MS,
Assistant Professor,Michigan State University,
Co-editor: Health At Every Size journal

"I thought it was great and it covers a lot of complex issues in a very accessible way. I love the linkage between dieting and weight cycling and the critique of the 'healthy weight' myths we're constantly bombarded with. I would have loved some more recognition that dieting not only leads to body dissatisfaction, weight cycling, appetite dysregulation and binge eating etc but also to disordered eating problems that lead to anorexia, bulimia etc. This is not a criticism but my own person bias and something I am working on quite a bit right now - that is the interrelatedness of weight/eating issues across the board and the common factor 'dieting'. That said, I think the doco is great and we will get a lot of use out of it at EDEN. I imagine we'll use it in our school education programme and when we do presentations about the dangers of dieting etc etc. Thank you for your fantastic work."
Maree Burns PhD,
Eating Difficulties Education Network ,
New Zealand

Hi Linda,
"Just viewed the Dieting: At War With Our Bodies DVD. I thought it was great, really liked how there was a mixture of discussion with dieters and HUGS participants, interspersed with conversations with experts and discussions of the science to support the non-dieting concept, as well as questioning the science behind the popular belief that any excess weight is detrimental to health. I will certainly recommend it to my colleagues. I think it will be very useful to initiate a discussion on the non-dieting, health at any size philosophy."
Cathy Knox, RD
Public Health Nutritionist
Ponteix, SK

More Comments

Background on film development:

Dieting: At War with our Bodies is produced by Toronto independent film producers Christie McNabb and Adam Finley. Christie McNabb was inspired to produce a documentary on the futility of dieting as a result of a loved one suffering from an eating disorder. Christie McNabb, producer of film documentary tells us why she took on this project. "Watching a loved one suffer from an eating disorder made me very aware of our society's damaging attitudes about weight. I wanted to be a part of changing those attitudes". The film includes interviews with key experts in the health at every size movement such as Glenn Gaesser and Janet Polivy and also presents an alternative to dieting. This documentary will help to regain lost ground in the health at every size movement.

The film documentary is a tool that can be used and reused in group settings. To download handouts to help lead a discussion, click here. Now includes a menu to select specific topic sections on the DVD.

We welcome your comments.

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