Help is on the way! Thank goodness adults are ready to take action and try to take serious steps to address the obesity epidemic that has hit the young people in the Central Valley.</p><p>A coalition of concerned residents gathered recently to talk about what can be done. It's not like no one has tried before. There have been laws and regulations, lawsuits and demonstrations throughout the years to try and change the tidal wave of fatty foods and sugary beverages that have flooded the schools, homes and fast-food restaurants.</p><p>There are already wellness programs in the community that have been available to teach nutrition, exercise and health to kids and parents. The federal and state governments dictate how much and what kind of food and beverages are to be served for the school lunch program and what should be served for after- school and day-care programs. They even influence what can and can't be served at school events and what can be sold for fund-raisers. </p><p>There are basically two reasons a child is overweight: 1) they eat and drink too much; and 2) they don't get enough physical activity. There may be many things that can explain why they do what they do, but ultimately it is a matter of energy balance.</p><p>Some kids obviously can eat more than others without gaining too much weight. Pity the child with a family history of obesity. Some are genetically prone to being big while eating only small amounts. Others simply learn terrible habits from those around them so they gain excess weight just like everyone else. </p><p>Kids can play detective and do their own investigation to find out where all of the extra calories come from. The first place to start is with beverages. Water is the most important drink to get in every day. Most other drinks contain sugar and some have extra fat. Most drinks have a label with information on the number of calories, sugar and fat. It would be a good idea to compare labels and try to drink mostly those with little or no calories. </p><p>Eating smaller portions can also help someone lose weight. Kids can start by not asking for second helpings. Parents can help by not offering extra servings and not insisting kids eat everything on their plate. And everyone should be eating plenty of vegetables and fruits. </p><p>Children and adults tend to weigh more when they spend more time in front of electronic media like televisions and video games. One of the simplest ways to get kids out of the house to do activity is to turn off the television. </p><p>When it comes to meaningful change, it's not a matter of what the "nanny-state" government, bureaucrats and lawmakers say and do. It takes concerned individuals to gather in the community where they live and together talk about the real issues and decide on solutions they can implement in real time. Let's hope sensible ideas win the day. </p><p>Chuck Newcomb, MS, RD, is a consulting registered dietitian providing medical nutrition therapy services for Memorial Hospital Los Banos. He has a masters of science in clinical nutrition from New York University. E-mail questions to the Attention of ChuckRD at: MHALosBanos @SutterHealth.org.