or


[05/02/12 - 09:02 AM]
"The Weight of the Nation for Kids: The Great Cafeteria Takeover," First in a Three-Part Series for Families, Debuts May 16, Exclusively on HBO
The project is a companion to the four-part, multi-platform documentary series "The Weight of the Nation."

[via press release from HBO]

"THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION FOR KIDS: THE GREAT CAFETERIA TAKEOVER," FIRST IN A THREE-PART SERIES FOR FAMILIES, DEBUTS MAY 16, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO

According to a survey published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2009, roughly 94% of schools served a lunch that failed to meet federal standards for healthy school meals, and 80% of the lunches served in those schools exceeded federal recommendations for total fat and saturated fat.

Armed with these startling facts, a group of New Orleans kids - who dubbed themselves the Rethinkers - set out to make a difference in their community during the post-Katrina rebuilding period. THE GREAT CAFETERIA TAKEOVER shows how they transformed their school lunch menu when it debuts WEDNESDAY, MAY 16 (7:00-7:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Other HBO playdates: May 19 (2:15 p.m. ET/1:45 p.m. PT), 21 (3:15 p.m.), 24 (9:00 a.m.), 27 (11:00 a.m.) and 30 (2:35 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: May 25 (6:00 a.m.) and 29 (noon)

THE GREAT CAFETERIA TAKEOVER is the first film in the three-part series THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION FOR KIDS, which is a companion to the four-part, multi-platform documentary series THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION, spotlighting the facts and myths about America's obesity epidemic. THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION is a presentation of HBO and the Institute of Medicine (IOM), in association with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and in partnership with the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation and Kaiser Permanente. All three films in THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION FOR KIDS will air during back-to-school season this fall.

In their campaign to change school lunch menus, the Rethinkers surveyed students at schools in their community and issued annual report cards to attract media coverage and capture the attention of decision-makers. The Rethinkers met with school officials and corporate executives from Aramark, one of the nation's largest food service providers, to get them thinking about the quality of school meals and how they could be improved.

Using the report cards and survey results, the kids negotiated with Aramark to provide healthier food choices. When a general agreement to provide more local, healthy food did not result in change, the kids held the school officials' and the company's feet to the fire and finally arrived at a specific agreement to serve fresh, locally produced food at least two times a week.

Among the young people featured in the film are:

Lucy Tucker - A passionate student who is dedicated to presenting adult decision-makers with student survey data that they can use to provide healthier food options.

Victoria Carter - A student who cares deeply about the goals of the Rethinkers and wants adults to listen and act.

Ron Triggs - A younger student who is pleased to deliver the results of the report card at a Rethinkers' press conference highlighting each school's "grade."

"Thirty-three percent of people within the State of Louisiana are obese," says Johanna Gilligan, an adult advisor to the Rethinkers. "People are finally realizing that they have no idea where their food has come from, they have no idea what's happened to it before it got to them."

"We, as Rethinkers, know that adults will listen to us if we have great ideas and solutions, instead of just complaining," says Carter.

"We are very excited about our new agreement," adds Rethinker Jada Cooper. "We hope as the years go on, school food will continue to improve, and that every child in New Orleans will have a healthy school lunch with fresh local food, school gardens and food education."

Three years in the making, THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION offers an unflinching look at the severity of the obesity crisis, highlighting the groundwork for the societal transformations that must take place in order to slow, arrest and eventually reverse the prevalence of obesity and bring the nation to a healthier weight. It is one of the most far-reaching public health campaigns on this epidemic to date. The multi-part, multi-platform series comprises four documentary films, a three-part series for families, 12 bonus shorts, a robust website and social media campaign, a book published by St. Martin's Press and the free distribution of DVDs and comprehensive discussion guides to more than 40,000 community-based organizations working to fight obesity around the country. To reach the broadest possible audience, HBO will use all of its services, including the main HBO channel, multiplex channels, HBO On Demand, HBO GO and more. All films will be available in English and Spanish, and will also stream free of charge on HBO.com, as well as on multiple platforms by participating TV service providers.

For more information on THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION and the screening kits, please visit hbo.com/theweightofthenation.

Official site: hbo.com/theweightofthenation Facebook page: facebook.com/theweightofthenation Twitter profile and hashtag: twitter.com/weightofthentn #weightofthenation Promotional content: youtube.com/hbodocs





  [may 2012]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[07/18/25 - 09:09 AM]
"Bobby's Triple Threat" Is Back With Brand-New Addition to Bobby Flay's Hand-Picked Trio of Culinary Titans
The 10-episode season premieres Tuesday, September 2 at 8pm ET/PT on Food Network and streaming the next day on HBO Max.

[07/18/25 - 08:06 AM]
Jaw-Dropping Custom Builds and Outrageous Family Antics Collide in "Truck Dynasty" Premiering Tuesday, August 12 at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel
Florida's Apocalypse Manufacturing owner Joe Ghattas is a self-made boss in the custom truck industry, known for his bold designs and loyal following that includes hardcore enthusiasts, world-famous rappers, sports superstars, and elite supermodels.

[07/18/25 - 08:01 AM]
Hallmark Channel Adds Hit Series "Gilmore Girls" to Its Lineup Beginning August 25
Just in time for the fall, the Gilmore family and the beloved residents of Stars Hollow will add twice the warmth and joy to Hallmark Channel's widely adored slate of heartfelt programming.

[07/18/25 - 07:36 AM]
Peacock Exclusively Streams Wes Anderson's "The Phoenician Scheme" Beginning July 25
From Oscar-nominated writer and director Wes Anderson, the film stars Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton and Michael Cera.

[07/18/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford - Official Teaser Trailer - Netflix
Two of boxing's most dominant forces, Saul "Canelo" Álvarez and Terence Crawford will face off in a once in a lifetime fight for the unified Super Middleweight championship on Saturday, September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

[07/17/25 - 10:01 PM]
Video: "Final Draft" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Twenty-five athletes, most retired, compete to win 30M yen to launch their second career. Can they overcome tough physical and psychological challenges?

[07/17/25 - 07:04 PM]
Video: Preview - Summer Nights 2025 - Coming in August
Tune in for all-new movie premieres this August on Hallmark Channel Saturday nights at 8/7c!

[07/17/25 - 04:15 PM]
"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" to End After 2025-26 Broadcast Season
Colbert announced the news during tonight's taping at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

[07/17/25 - 02:17 PM]
Thrilling True Crime Docu-Series, "True Crime Story: Smugshot," Returns to SundanceTV Thursday, August 14
Created and executive produced by award-winning documentary filmmakers Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel, the six-episode series spotlights entitled individuals involved in elaborate criminal behavior.

[07/17/25 - 01:31 PM]
Netflix: What We Watched the First Half of 2025
This report, which captures ~99% of all viewing in the first half of 2025, shows that people watched a lot of Netflix - over 95B hours - spanning a wide range of genres and languages.

[07/17/25 - 01:16 PM]
Freida Pinto to Star in Netflix's "Unaccustomed Earth"
Inspired by the internationally beloved Jhumpa Lahiri short story collection of the same name, "Unaccustomed Earth" is an epic, soapy, and culturally vibrant drama about a tight-knit Indian American community navigating love, desire, and belonging.

[07/17/25 - 01:06 PM]
Samuel L. Jackson to Headline His First TV Series As Paramount+ Greenlights "NOLA King," The First Spinoff of the Hit Series "Tulsa King"
Jackson's character, Russell Lee Washington Jr., will be introduced in the upcoming, highly anticipated third season of "Tulsa King," slated to premiere in September.

[07/17/25 - 12:53 PM]
New Series "The Mother Flip" Premieres Saturday, August 16 at 12pm ET/PT on A&E's HomeMadeNation
Best friends and savvy flippers Kristy Etheredge and Rebecca Franchione, along with contractor Roy Salinas, transform the worst homes in Texas' Hill Country into big profits.

[07/17/25 - 12:11 PM]
AMC Networks' August Highlights Include "Nautilus," "Irish Blood," "Kidnapped," "The Furry Detectives" and More!
The month also features new seasons of Sundance TV's "True Crime Story: Smugshot," and We TV's fan-favorite series "Life After Lockup."

[07/17/25 - 11:35 AM]
ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball Presented by Capital One" Schedule Update: Division Leaders Collide as Detroit Tigers Visit Philadelphia Phillies on August 3
This marks the third "Sunday Night Baseball" appearance of the 2025 regular season for the Tigers and the fourth appearance for the Phillies.