Good Food/Bad Food 2005
Distributed by Fanlight Productions, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Produced by Annie Light, Irving Saraf, Nancy Evans
Directed by Annie Light and Irving Saraf
DVD, color, 30 min.
Sr. High - Adult
Health Sciences, Nutrition, Adolescence
Date Entered: 08/26/2005
Reviewed by Lori Widzinski, Health Sciences Library, University at Buffalo, State University of New YorkGood Food/Bad Food is a fine introduction to the growing problem of childhood obesity in the United States. The initial impact of the opening scenes of children “chowing down” at McDonalds on fries, shakes, giant hamburgers and chicken nuggets is preparation for the staggering statistics to follow.
The professionals involved in this production include pediatricians, an exercise physiologist, nutritionist, and school officials who all point to the environmental factors influencing our society helping to create a nation of overweight kids. The stage has been set – lack of physical exercise, poor food choices, out of control portion sizes, and advertising that attracts kids to unhealthy foods. The scenes playing out include children with health problems heretofore considered “adult”: Type II diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and dental problems. Overweight girls are entering puberty sooner than their leaner counterparts. Obesity is a form of malnutrition and is at epidemic levels with Type II diabetes following close behind. We are creating a generation of people that will tax our health care system just with the complications associated with diabetes. Societal problems are forcing kids to spend less time playing outside unsupervised and free, as was the norm 30 years ago.
Getting the message to children early in life is crucial to their making healthy eating decisions throughout their lives. Educating children and parents about good food choices is one way to start turning things around and seems to be working in the school districts profiled in this production. In one scene showing an especially effective classroom session, children can see how much fat is in their typical fast food meal when the amount is doled out in heaping tablespoons of Crisco. Programs such as Head Start are profiled, showing kids as young as 3 and 4 learning how to make appropriate food selections.
Good Food/Bad Food not only points out the problem, but looks at the causes and outlines some effective strategies for solving it. At the community college and college level, it would be best in library collections serving undergraduate health sciences programs, education, and social work programs. A good choice too for public libraries supporting community health programs. Highly recommended.