That Sugar Film (2014) shows how eating too much sugar has become normal in everyday life, even when people try to eat “healthy.” The film asserts that problems caused by sugar are not just because of the flawed choices made by consumers. Instead, these problems come from how science, technology, and society work together in the modern food system, not just individual choices alone. This paper takes the stand that excessive sugar consumption is a systemic problem, created by food technologies and marketing that hide scientific facts about sugar, making it unfair to blame individuals alone.
The film explains how food technology has enabled the addition of sugar in many processed foods, and labeling and advertising create the illusion that these foods contain nutritious elements. Scientific research indicates that the excessive intake of added sugars, particularly in ultra-processed foods, puts individuals at risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (World Health Organization, 2015; Monteiro et al., 2019). However, this scientific information is often unclear to consumers because society trusts food labels and health claims without questioning them. Some individuals believe that sugar is fine provided it is taken in moderation, with people supposed to regulate their diet. While this matter of taking things in moderation is ideal, public health information establishes that many people are taking a lot of sugar without knowing it because it is hidden in most foods (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). The example indicates how technology limits real choice and how society accepts harmful systems as normal, similar to how “My Family’s Slave” shows that systems can hide harm and make people accept it as normal.
Finally, That Sugar Film has shown that excessive sugar consumption is the result of the interaction among science, technology, and society, not just individual choices alone. Although science can offer information about the harmfulness of sugar, it is sometimes hidden by technology even in food advertisements. Society accepts these foods as healthy, without any questions asked. This creates a system where harm is normal and not obvious and responsibility is often misplaced. Similar to what occurred with the events described in “My Family’s Slave,” continuing harm can silently go on when systems allow it. Solving this issue requires not just personal awareness, but also action from food industries, clear labeling, and society making better choices. Whether in health or human rights, systems shape how science and technology affect individuals, often masking harm behind normalized practices.