The YMCA’s in Naperville together with the FORWARD Initiative are hosting a screening of Home Box Office’s (HBO) The Weight of the Nation. The screening will be held on Tues., October 9 at Naperville City Hall, 400 S. Eagle Street.
Doors open at 6PM; the screening will begin at 6:20PM.
According to Judy Ellertson, Executive Director of Fry Family YMCA/Y Sports Complex, “The Weight of the Nation” examines the facts and myths of our national obesity epidemic. Much like the demographics of DuPage County, in the United States 68 percent of adults age 20 and older are overweight or obese and 31.7 percent of the nations’ children and adolescents age two to 19 are overweight or obese.
This documentary, three years in the making, a four-part series shows how obesity affects the health of the nation and the health care system. 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 an effort to be conscious of time the series has been edited to 1 hour concentrating on how obesity is affecting today’s children and families.
“Obesity has become a serious threat to the health of our nation. It is important that we facilitate community action now to help reduce the obesity rates and improve the health of our community,” stated Toni Havala, Registered Dietician at Edward Hospital, in the press release.
Following the screening a panel of experts from the Naperville community will help to provide insight through a question and answer period.
“There is no better time than now to start taking steps to reverse these staggering trends and help improve the quality of life in our community, especially for our children” said Ellertson. “This will be an excellent opportunity to learn more about maintaining a healthy lifestyle for you and your loved ones, and contribute to recommendations on how local businesses and other organizations can improve our community to empower individuals and families to make healthier choices.
This screening is free and open to the public.
For more information contact Laura Czekanski at lczekanski@ymcachicago.org or Ellertson at (630) 904-3271, jellertson@ymcachicago.org.
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, and in partnership with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and Kaiser Permanente. For a film trailer visit: hbo.com/theweightofthenation.
About the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago: The Y is Chicagoland’s leading nonprofit strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Through its 25 member centers, five camps and hundreds of extension sites, the Y of Metro Chicago helps children learn and grow, teaches young people to lead, brings families closer, and encourages individual health and wellbeing. As one of the largest and oldest/most established cause-driven organizations/nonprofits in Chicago, YMCA programs impact hundreds of thousands of lives annually, helping to strengthen neighborhoods and respond to unique community needs across Chicagoland. To learn more, visit www.ymcachicago.org.
FORWARD, Fighting Obesity, Reaching Health Weight among Residents of DuPage, is an inclusive coalition of passionate partners including health care providers, education, government, social service organizations and private businesses. Our goal is to reverse the trend of obesity in DuPage County. To learn more about FORWARD, please visit www.forwarddupage.org.
