HBO Teams with Feds to Tackle Obesity
The short films drill down into related subjects such as the link between obesity and diabetes, workplace wellness programs, and the biology of weight loss.
The all-encompassing multimedia approach is similar to that used in the station’s Alzheimer’s project, which was co-produced by Maria Shriver.
Campaign launched to combat rising levels of obesity
Surgeons, psychiatrists, paediatricians and GPs launched a campaign today to battle rising levels of obesity, saying current strategies are not working.
The Academy of Royal Medical Colleges (AoMRC), the body that represents every doctor in the country, is beginning a three-month evidence-gathering inquiry to look for research and strategies that work in preventing or reducing obesity.
The inquiry will look at action that can be taken by individuals, including diet, exercise and parenting, as well as the impact of advertising, food labelling and sponsorship.
“Weight of the Nation” debuts on HBO May 14 at 8 p.m. with the episodes “Consequences” and “Choices,” followed by the final two parts, “Children in Crisis” and “Challenges,” on May 15 at 8 p.m.
A quarter of women (24%) and just over a fifth of men (22%) in the UK are now classed as obese, giving Britain the highest rate of obesity in Europe.
One in three children are overweight or obese by the age of nine.
The campaign will seek the views of healthcare professionals, local authorities, education providers, charities, campaign groups and the public, in the form of written and oral evidence.
It’s first report will be published later this year and will offer recommendations for how the medical profession, individuals, organisations and the government can reduce obesity levels.
Professor Sir Neil Douglas, chairman of the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges, said: “This won’t be just another report that sits on the shelf and gathers dust; it will form the bedrock of our ongoing campaigning activity.
“We are absolutely determined to push for whatever changes need to happen to make real progress in tackling - which is why we’re casting the net wide to get input from a range of organisations and individuals.
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By Kristina Fiore