Reviewing Netflix Health Documentaries: An Evidence-Based Practitioner’s Perspective

As a healthcare professional who believes in non-diet, intuitive eating approaches, I enjoy consuming health information (and I love watching Netflix). These films promise to shed light on how we should eat, live, and treat our bodies, but how do we interpret this well-meaning (or is it?) health information?

I work in healthcare, I take care of myself as best as I can, and my job is to help others stay healthy. So, more information should be a good thing, right? Unfortunately, many health documentaries come with their share of issues, from fear-mongering to biased narratives, which can leave viewers feeling overwhelmed and misinformed. Here’s my take on some of the most popular Netflix health documentaries.

How to Approach Health Information in Documentaries

Before we dive into specific films, it's important to know how to interpret the health information presented in these documentaries. Many of these films rely on fear-mongering tactics, demonising certain food groups, and placing moral values on the food and drink we consume. This often creates an all-or-nothing mindset around health—either you’re doing everything right, or you’re failing.

As an evidence-based practitioner, I look for information that’s backed by robust, peer-reviewed research. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case in these documentaries. Often, the evidence cited comes from studies funded by industries with a vested interest, leading to potential conflicts of interest. Additionally, these films rarely address the socio-cultural and political issues surrounding access to food, health literacy, and the complex realities faced by people from low socio-economic backgrounds or those dealing with intergenerational trauma. Health isn’t as easy to access for many people in society, and this is not their fault or responsibility.

Now, let’s break down the pros and cons of a few well-known Netflix health documentaries.

1. Supersize Me

Pro: Supersize Me brought attention to the impact of fast food on health and made people question their dietary habits. It served as a wake-up call for many regarding the risks of a highly processed, fast-food-heavy diet.

Con: The documentary sensationalized the effects of McDonald's on the filmmaker's health by exaggerating the results. While it highlighted valid concerns, it focused on extremes, which doesn't represent the complexity of most people's diets. The all-or-nothing approach can feel overwhelming and ignores the nuances of nutrition and the socio-economic factors that often influence food choices.

2. What the Health

Pro: What the Health claims to expose the links between diet and chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. It encourages viewers to think critically about what they eat and the power of large food industries.

Con: The documentary is full of fear-mongering, particularly around animal products. It presents an oversimplified view of nutrition, demonising entire food groups without acknowledging that nutrition is highly individual. It also fails to provide context around the socio-economic challenges many people face in accessing healthy food.

3. Forks Over Knives

Pro: This documentary promotes a plant-based diet, emphasising whole, unprocessed foods. It highlights how diet can play a role in disease prevention and advocates for a lifestyle that focuses on long-term health.

Con: While the benefits of plant-based eating are well-documented, Forks Over Knives can come off as dogmatic, pushing a one-size-fits-all solution. The film doesn’t fully consider the personal and cultural preferences that influence food choices or the barriers some individuals face in accessing plant-based options.

4. Heal

Pro: Heal explores the mind-body connection and how our beliefs and emotions can influence physical health. It encourages viewers to think about their emotional and mental well-being as part of their overall health.

Con: The documentary leans heavily into the idea that we can heal ourselves through positive thinking, which can be misleading. While a positive mindset is important, it’s not a cure-all, and the film minimises the importance of evidence-based medical treatments and interventions.

5. The Game Changers

Pro: The Game Changers shines a spotlight on plant-based diets for athletes, showing that you can be strong and perform at a high level without animal products. It challenges the stereotype that meat is essential for strength and muscle.

Con: The film’s message is powerful but one-sided. It promotes plant-based eating without fully addressing the individual variations in nutritional needs, particularly in elite athletes. The documentary also simplifies the science, presenting plant-based diets as the only way to achieve optimal health and performance.

6. Rotten

Pro: Rotten delves into the dark side of the global food industry, exposing unethical practices, food fraud, and the hidden costs of what we eat. It’s an eye-opening look at how food gets to our plates.

Con: While informative, the documentary can leave viewers feeling helpless or cynical about the food system. It doesn’t always offer practical solutions or acknowledge the socio-economic factors that limit people’s ability to make ethical food choices.

7. Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut

Pro: This documentary addresses the gut-brain connection, gut health, and its relationship with overall well-being. I appreciated that it included perspectives on disordered eating, recognising the harmful effects of extreme food rules. Tim Spector, a well-respected researcher, even encouraged someone with a history of an eating disorder to reintroduce foods she had previously labeled as “forbidden.”

Con: While the focus on variety and the inclusion of different foods was refreshing, I found myself switching off when one woman retrieved her boyfriend’s frozen turd from the freezer and blended it for a DIY fecal transplant. Please note: this is not recommended! The opening montage also made me uncomfortable—it showed a family of color eating fast food, feeding into harmful stereotypes and biases without considering upstream influences like intergenerational trauma, poverty, systemic racism, and access to food.

Conclusion: Navigating Health Information with Care

These documentaries often have good intentions but are rarely without flaws. They can inspire people to think critically about their health, but they can also contribute to harmful all-or-nothing thinking and food anxiety. As a healthcare professional, I encourage you to approach these films with a critical eye. Look for peer-reviewed evidence, consider the socio-cultural and political context, and remember that health isn’t about perfection—it’s about balance, flexibility, and making choices that work for you.

Be kind to yourself,

M x