Next Week on CANADA AM – Florida Georgia Line, Robyn Doolittle, Winterlude, Poutine Week, and more…
W5 Delivers Powerful Look At Teen Obesity, Examining a Unique and Radical Medical Intervention, Saturday on CTV
To tweet this release: http://bit.ly/1iUojL4
TORONTO (January 31, 2014) – Tomorrow, W5 reporter Tom Kennedy delivers a special one-hour report that takes a powerful and insightful look at teen obesity. Premiering Saturday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO, “HEAVY BURDEN” takes viewers inside the story of two Canadian teens struggling with obesity, as they seek help after their weight spirals out of control. Following the teens for nearly two years, W5 documents their participation in a unique program at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children. For a select few it can include dramatic, life-changing, stomach-removal surgery.
Statistics are grim for the estimated one in three overweight and obese Canadian children: 90% will grow up to become obese adults. The long-term physical health threats obese teens face includes Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, compounded by potential mental health issues – social anxiety, emotional trauma, and the feeling that being obese is their own fault.
W5’s Kennedy meets 14-year-old Emma, who weighs 121 kilograms (266 pounds), and 17-year-old Brenndon, who weighs 162 kilograms (357 pounds) as they begin the program. Both teens have been overweight for most of their young lives. The documentary follows them through meetings with doctors, dieticians, exercise therapists, and a psychologist as they seek help.
As the W5 report shows, families and health care staff all play a crucial role in the weight-loss journey for the teens and the extreme measures taken to help them lose weight and improve their overall general health. The stomach-removal surgery is the major step in an unprecedented program called ‘STOMP’ based at internationally renowned Sick Kids Hospital.
W5 documents the intensive physical and psychological preparation leading up to the surgery and follows Emma and Brenndon in the days and months as they recover, lose weight, and reshape their lives.
W5 also airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on CTV Two, and can be seen on Investigation Discovery on Tuesdays at 11 p.m. ET, and Wednesdays 12 noon ET; on demand at CTVNews.ca/W5; the CTV GO App, the CTV Mobile channel on Bell Mobile TV, and through video on demand partners, such as Bell Fibe TV (visit CTV.ca for local listings). W5 is also simulcast in Toronto on CFRB NEWSTALK1010.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Twitter:
Facebook:
About W5
With an ongoing commitment to covering tough, relevant stories with fair and responsible reporting, W5 is in its 48th season of investigative journalism. Hosted by CTV NEWS’ Lloyd Robertson, the award-winning series is the most-watched documentary program in Canada. Anton Koschany is Executive Producer of W5. Brett Mitchell is Senior Producer. Wendy Freeman is President, CTV News.
About CTV
CTV is Canada’s #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada’s most-watched television network for the past 12 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network’s website at ctv.ca.
– CTV-
For more information, contact:
Patricia Garcia, Bell Media, 416.384.2645 or patricia.garcia@bellmedia.ca
Julie MacFarlane, Bell Media, 416.384.4623 or julie.macfarlane@bellmedia.ca
Get the latest announcements from Bell Media
Subscribe to our media lists to receive official press releases and alerts from Bell Media PR.