The first film in the Nation’s Weight series explores the extent of the obesity epidemic and explores the serious health consequences of being overweight or obese.
The obesity epidemic is a problem that has emerged over the past 30 years. It threatens the social, economic and physical health of our nation. But unlike natural disasters, obesity is often preventable. Although the overall prevalence of obesity appears to be declining, too many Americans are still overweight or obese and continue to experience health problems as a result. To end this pandemic, everyone must be part of the solution.
At the level of our DNA, we are programmed to eat as much as possible to survive and store excess fat for future use. In a world where high-calorie, high-sugar and high-fat foods are everywhere, this is a problem. The good news is that even if a tendency to gain weight is written into our genes, we’re not doomed to be obese for life.
