'Weight of Nation' documentary available on web

As of Tuesday, May 29, 2012
© Copyright 2013 Rockdale Citizen

COVINGTON -- The Gwinnett, Newton, Rockdale County Health Departments are encouraging citizens to watch the four-part documentary, "The Weight of the Nation," which is now available at the health department's website, www.gnrhealth.com.

Three years in the making, "The Weight of the Nation" examines the facts and myths of this urgent public health issue, showing how obesity affects the health of the nation and the health care system, according to GNR Communications Manager Karen Shields.

The film features case studies and interviews with leading experts, individuals and families struggling with obesity. The series also highlights how individuals, worksites and communities are making positive changes.

In the U.S., 68 percent of adults age 20 and older are overweight or obese, while 31.7 percent of the nation's children and adolescents, ages 2 to 19, are overweight or obese. Obesity contributes to five of the 10 leading causes of death in America, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, many cancers, stroke and kidney disease.

"The Weight of the Nation" is a presentation of HBO and the Institute of Medicine, in association with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation and Kaiser Permanente.

For more information, go to www.gnrhealth.com.

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