THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION

One in three children born in 2000 will develop diabetes. Punctuated by harrowing statistics such as that, this four-part program features real-life interviews with obese children and adults along with commentary from medical professionals and government officials, junk food advertisements, case studies, a look into an American school cafeteria, scenes from inside Congress, a view into the nation’s farms and grocery stores, and discussion of the evolutionary-biological and societal causes for obesity. Produced in concert with the Institute of Medicine, this landmark documentary paints a vivid picture of why we as a nation are obese, how to prevent obesity, how and why it affects children, and how to fix obesity once it’s already started to take its toll, both on the individual and the nation. Includes 12 bonus featurettes. Grades 6–12. Color. Total time: approximately 4 hours. HBO. ©2012.