DVD: ViewFinder - Supersizing Our Kids

Since 1980, the percentage of overweight children in America has tripled to sixteen percent. In the Central Valley, the statistics are worse, with up to thirty percent of the region’s children overweight. Put more starkly, one third of the boys and girls born in 2000 will likely develop weight-related health problems including diabetes, a chronic, potentially debilitating disease. “Supersizing Our Kids ” examines the paradox of a problem with a simple, yet elusive solution -- give our children a healthier diet and more exercise. Following that prescription is another matter.

"Supersizing Our Kids ” goes to local schools to see what children are eating for lunch, visits clinics where overweight children are learning lifestyle changes, stops in at a corner store where the owner is stocking more healthy foods for his low-income after-school customers, and attends a nutrition education and cooking class for time-strapped families.

Are such efforts enough or are more aggressive, broad-based measures needed? “Supersizing Our Kids ” explores the notion of the “food environment” and whether it’s undermining parents’ attempt to feed healthier foods to their children. It also offers some helpful ideas that families can start using immediately. This episode is supported by UC Davis Health System.