Fat Facts: PBS Documentary Gives Up the Skinny on Obesity
The Fat Epidemic Expanding Across America Is Examined In-Depth
There is possibly no more timely television program right now than the informative documentary FAT: What No One Is Telling You, which premieres tonight at 9pm EST* on PBS as part of the organization’s Take One Step health campaign. Hosted by Meredith Vieira of Today and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, FAT presents a multi-perspective overview of the rampant weight gain currently affecting the United States, as well as the marked impact the scourge has had on untold people from all walks of life. The documentary promises to enhance the detailed accounts of various individuals fighting their own continuous personal battle of the bulge on various fronts with needed insight into the “myriad psychological, physiological and environmental factors that can make it so tough to shed pounds and keep them off.”
While reminding viewers of the very real public health dangers arising in a country where “66 percent of … adults [are] either overweight or obese,” the filmmakers also aim to use “[t]he voices of … real Americans [to] tell the story of the biological barriers, cultural habits, and economic realities that contribute to our nation’s expanding waistline.” This layered, inclusive approach is commendable because it will lead to more comprehensive understanding of why obesity has exploded into such a persistent issue, bringing us one step closer to coming up with workable solutions for combating the problem.
*PBS times may vary—Check your local listings to verify them
Meredith Vieira photo courtesy of the Associated Press
