Our children are facing an epidemic. Currently, one-third of our nation's children are obese and 15.8 million are food insecure - meaning they lack access to affordable, nutritious foods. And, food insecurity is associated with an increase in childhood obesity.

So how how can science help us stem the tide of childhood obesity? Well, science helps us understand how food is made, preserved and consumed by our bodies. This information is powerful! It's the difference between the world being perceived as flat or round. It can alter the course of our lives.

READ: The Sour Truth about Added Sugar and Our Health: And What Food Companies Are Doing to Hide It

Join #FoodFri on Friday, March 20, 2015, at 1pm, EST to chat with @MomsRising and @UCSUSA. Let's improve access to healthy, affordable meals for all families. Share your questions and get answers to learn more about the latest information behind how healthy our meals are—from what’s served to our kids at school to how much sugar is added to what we eat.

Join us and invite a friend! Together, we can change lives.

To join and follow the conversation on Twitter use the #FoodFri Hashtag in each tweet.

You can also follow the chat on Twubs.com/FoodFri. Twubs allows you to follow MomsRising’s registered hashtags by creating an account. Below I have noted the steps.

1.     Create an account using an email or your Twitter account.
2.     Enter the desired hashtag, #FoodFri, #WellnessWed or #EcoTipTue, in the search box found at the top of the page. Click Enter. A new page will open with the desired chat.
3.     Find the “Join This Twub” button found on the right-hand side bar and join the group.
4.     Adjust the speed of the conversation to your liking. Options are: Fast, Medium, Slow, Slower, or Slowest.
5.     Introduce yourself and join the conversation, by entering your comment, tips, or questions in the “Tweet to #FoodFri as [YourName] box”
6.     Or, respond to a specific tweet by hovering over the right-hand side of the individual’s tweet and selecting one of the icons.

More about our #FoodFri Featured Panelist(s):

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The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet’s most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, they combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.

Learn more about the Union of Concerned Scientists on their website: www.ucsusa.org. You can also follow them on Twitter, @UCSUSA, and Facebook, facebook.com/unionofconcernedscientists.