Bethel Filmmaker Examines Nutrition with 'Carb-Loaded' Documentary

When Bethel resident and filmmaker Lathe Poland was diagnosed with diabetes, it was shocking at first.

"But then I was kind of surprised how everyone was matter-of-fact," he said. "I was told, 'It's very common for a person like you.'"

Poland says he doesn't fit the profile of a "classic Type-2 diabetic." He's 5'11 and 160 pounds, and says he's otherwise physically fit.

"So when I started digging and realized I could pretty much control my diet ... I started wondering, what is the story with the standard American diet?"

Poland began work this week on the documentary Carb-Loaded, which he says will draw attention to the "exploding diabetes epidemic" and its toll on not only health but the nation's economy. It's the first feature project for Poland and his partner Eric Carlsen, who together make up the Scene Lab, a film production company with offices in Bethel and New York's Hudson Valley. Since 2004, they've produced web commercials, live events and marketing projects for companies like the Discovery Channel and Dreamworks Pictures.

"I've worked on other people's projects, but this is the first one we're doing ourselves," said Poland.

After hearing an NPR story piqued his interest, he began examining statistics and found surprising facts: rates of diabetes and pre-diabetes are skyrocketing in America.

"Was our lifestyle, culture, or food ecosystem, enabling this shift?" he asked, according to the film's website. "Or was it the catalyst? And, more importantly, could this wave of momentum be reversed?"

To answer the question, he has scheduled interviews with nutrition luminaries like NYU's Marion Nestle and Weighty Matters blogger Dr. Yoni Freedhoff.

"I'm a filmmaker by trade, so obviously I'm always looking for stories to tell," said Poland. "So this was a logical project for me, because I'm so close to it. I'm literally with it all the time."

And even though he lives with diabetes, he said the film is for everyone.

"People think diabetes is something that happens to obese, unhealthy people," he said. "While that's true to some extent, there's a lot of us in the world susceptible and it's because of our food culture, the way food is marketed to us."

After shooting wraps -- planned for 2014 -- Poland plans to use the online fundraising site Kickstarter to finance part of the project. For more information about the film, visit the Carb-Loaded websiteor check out the Scene Lab.