Generation extra large

Generation Extra Large reveals the startling truth about the obesity epidemic, and uncovers the cultural and economic causes of childhood obesity. Cash-strapped schools have opened their doors to fast food and soda companies. Many schools are cutting physical education - and even recess - in a misguided attempt to save money and boost standardized test scores. At the same time, the authors report, food and soda lobbies are shaping government policy at our children's expense. At home, traditional family meals have grown rare, and fast food is filling the void. From city neighborhoods that are too dangerous for outside play to the sprawling suburbs where everyone drives everywhere, children face overwhelming obstacles on their path to good health. The authors supply practical tips for every family, including advice on healthy eating at every age, from infancy through adolescence. They also provide the one element that's been missing in the ongoing debate about obesity: the voices of children themselves. Generation Extra Large is the first book that tells - through interviews with children and teenagers - what it's like to be an overweight kid in America. These young people, and the adults who love them, are taking the first steps towards longer, healthier lives.