The film follows Gameau's experiment on himself, changing from his normal diet containing no Sugar#Refining, to a 'health-conscious' diet low in fat but high in sugar, equivalent to 200 grams (40 tsp) of sugar per day. As a result, Gameau gained weight, Lethargy, and developed fatty liver disease.<ref name="slate"></ref> The sugar diet was selected such that his calorie intake was not increased from his normal diet.