what to do about OBESE children

NYT Talking Points feature, "The Big, Fat American Kid Crisis"

Over the last 30 years, obesity rates have doubled among pre-schoolers and tripled for those age 6 to 11. For those added pounds, the young are starting to pay a terrible price. Adult diabetes has rapidly become a childhood disease. Pediatricians are seeing high cholesterol and high blood pressure and other grown-up problems in their patients. Teachers and school psychiatrists are coping with a plague of shame and distress among children whose size subjects them to hazing and other cruelties by their classmates.

The author's list of how to reverse the trend of childhood obesity:

• 1. Stop Bombarding Children With Junk Food Ads
• 2. Proselytize for Healthy Eating
• 3. Ban the Junk Food in Schools
• 4. Upgrade the School Snack
• 5. Tax the Fatteners
• 6. Stop Subsidizing Junk Food
• 7. Start Subsidizing Healthy Food for Poor People
• 8. Label Food in Chain Restaurants
• 9. Educate Parents and Teachers
• 10. Exercise for Everybody