The Weight of the Nation

The first film in The Weight of the Nation series examines the scope of the obesity epidemic and explores the serious health consequences of being overweight or obese.

Some experts fear this may be the first generation of American children who will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.

The final film of the series examines the origins and severity of the obesity epidemic, examines its major driving forces and looks at opportunities for communities to fight back.

Intervention during pregnancy and early childhood may offer the best way to curtail the obesity epidemic for the next generation. In this film, we tell the story of Kerri, an overweight woman who was diagnosed with gestational diabetes during her first pregnancy. With the help of her doctors and the support of her husband, she successfully managed her condition and gave birth to a healthy son, whom she is now raising with a careful eye on the development of health-promoting habits that will last a lifetime.