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OBESITY IS PREVENTABLE
The United States has one of the highest rankings for obesity rates worldwide. The percentage of obese Americans has risen twenty percent in the past twenty years, and the rate of childhood obesity has tripled since 1980. A 2009 report released by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that two-thirds of all Americans are either overweight or obese. These large increases and rates show no sign of abating—with severe consequences for individuals, their families, and our nation.
Obesity leads to a debilitating state of health for millions of children, teens and adults with devastating results. It is a contributing factor in increased occurrences of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, depression, heart disease, and kidney failure, just to name a few, and can result in a decrease in individual’s quality of life, productivity and educational attainment.
Of those Americans who are overweight or obese, a disproportionate number are minorities, with high percentages of those being African American or Latino members of lower-income communities. Our documentary seeks to explore the issue of obesity in under-privileged communities by focusing on personal experiences in the Latino community in Los Angeles to reflect upon a larger global health issue.
Obesity is preventable. We believe that by developing this feature film and related culturally sensitive educational tools we can bring awareness and essential life-changing information directly to individuals and communities struggling with obesity. In doing so, we will help these individuals take charge of their lives, allowing them to live longer, more productive and fulfilled lives, and by doing so, make our communities and nation stronger.
