Local schools already working to fight childhood obesity welcome first lady Michelle Obama's new effort to promote healthy eating and exercise. Today, one third of American children are overweight. Mrs. Obama hopes to encourage a dramatic decrease in those numbers in just one generation.

St. Louis City Public Schools feed thousands of students each day in school cafeterias. Food Services Director Althea Albert-Santiago has been working with the district's food supplier to introduce more fresh fruits and vegetables to students. The firm has found ways to streamline its ordering process and save money that can be spent on the fresh produce she said Wednesday. Albert-Santiago said fried foods had been replaced with items like baked French fries. Another change this school year has a majority of elementary schools send children to a twenty minute recess before lunch instead of after lunch. "We are seeing less waste in food and better behavior because the children are more relaxed," she said. "A lot of times when the children are more are anxious to get outside they they get a little a rambunctious," Albert-Santiago noted.

Wednesday graduate students from Logan College of Chiropratic's sports science and rehabilitation program launched a strength and physical conditioning pilot program at Busch Middle School. The interns from Logan will work with sixth grade students for 13 weeks to help them become better athletes. They plan to record their improvements in speed, power, agility, reaction and quickness as well as academic achievement. The college wants to find out if athletic training can also help improve academic performance.

Pediatric specialist Dr. Lynda Brady of St. John's Mercy Children's Hospital in Creve Coeur said she hopes Mrs. Obama's initiative helps kids become aware of the impact of healthy choices so that they want those choices. Dr. Brady urges families to plan ahead for healthy meals so they cut down on fast food purchases. She warned overweight and obese children will face serious health problems at an early age if they don't change their habits. "This is our looking ahead to future and trying to solve problems before they arrive," she said.

source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ktvi-...0137.story

Shouldn't the responsibility for reducing childhood obesity fall on the parents shoulders ?