Weight of the Nation
Cary, NC – Advocates for Health in Action (AHA) has partnered with the Town of Cary to present a free event on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 6 PM called Growing a Healthy Community: A Film & Conversation about Your Health and Your Community.
The presentation includes a screening of The Weight of the Nation, an HBO original documentary. It’s all part of Fit Cary Month (April).
The screening is free, but tickets are required as space is limited. View the trailer trailer or get tickets.
Panel Discussion on Obesity Crisis
Following the film, a panel of local experts will engage in a conversation about the obesity crisis, the impact of food marketing on children, the health impacts of sugar-sweetened beverages, as well as how Nashville, Tenn., is making some very positive changes in their community to address obesity. Community experts include:
- Richard Bell, Active Living by Design
- Meredith Chandler, Town of Cary Planning Department
- Carrie Dow-Smith, MD, WakeMed Faculty Physicians Pediatrics
- Carol Mitchell, PhD, RD, LDN, Wake County Cooperative Extension
We are Immune Here in Cary
“Here in Wake County, we are not immune to the obesity epidemic facing our nation,” said AHA Director Sheree Vodicka. “Wake County was recently named the healthiest county in North Carolina, but with North Carolina ranking in the bottom third nationally we still have lots of work to do. This screening and conversation is designed to open a dialog in Cary and the communities of Wake about how together we can take charge of our health.”
Statistics recently have shown that although Wake County may be the healthiest county, 42% of our kids aged 4-12 are overweight or obese. That doesn’t sound too healthy to me! In fact obesity crosses cultural and economic lines as more people eat out, eat fast food, purchase groceries at warehouse stores and remain sedentary. The obesity epidemic has far reaching effects- many say this generation of children will be the first that has a life expectancy shorter than their parents!
The AHA-Town of Cary screening and conversation is the final event in the celebration of Fit Cary Month. “Throughout April, the Town of Cary is providing activities that encourage our residents to be active, explore new ways of being fit, and learn about eating healthy,” said Sam Trogdon, Bond Park Community Center supervisor and chair of the Western Wake AHA Work Group that planned the screening. “The screening and conversation is an important educational tool and a catalyst to help our community.”
Intended for Adults
AHA advises that the event is intended for adults. Doors open at 6 pm for viewers to visit a variety of educational booths about health and fitness, and Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht will welcome guests at 6:30 to launch the screening.
Event Info
“Growing a Healthy Community: A Film & Conversation about Your Health and Your Community”
presented by Advocates for Health in Action
Tuesday April 30, 6:00pm- 8:00pm
Adults Only
Cary Arts Center
101 Dry Av.
Cary, NC
Event is free, but tickets are required. Ticket Info: Visit AHA’s EventBrite page.
Just saw this post, and am impressed with all Cary is doing (or did!)
I also read that our national obesity rates for kids seem to be leveling of, at least for now, but that’s no reason to be complacent. Rather, maybe we can be encouraged that all this publicity and attention to maintaining a healthy weight is having a positive effect. We need to keep it up.
BTW, the wonderful film “Philomena” makes a funny and not so funny comment on our infamous American weight problem: the character fears her long-lost son who’s left Britain for the USA will now be obese. “Look at the portions they give you!” she laments.