Stronger standards for school lunch

The numbers don't lie: Nearly one-third of this country's children are obese or overweight.

That figure has risen dramatically in the past few decades, and it's a trend we must reverse.

To help, President Barack Obama and administration officials are urging legislators to consider a number of changes as they work on reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act.

They want to set stronger standards for the food schools serve and expand physical activity opportunities for children during the school day.

The changes are part of an aggressive plan to solve the problem of childhood obesity within a single generation, and we support them.

Yes, we're leery of yet another federal mandate, but it's clear that our nation's increasing obesity-related health care problems aren't being addressed adequately at the local level.

Still, we urge lawmakers to allow reasonable flexibility for states and local school districts that already are doing it right.

While some states and schools clearly need an extra push to promote healthy habits, there are a number that already are doing a good job of it. Washington shouldn't be in the business of drawing up lunch menus.

But it is reasonable for federal lawmakers to raise the bar when it comes to school nutrition and health. Obesity is associated with a number of chronic diseases - making it an expensive, even though largely preventable, public health concern.

And schools are a good place for change: More than 31 million children are served through the National School Lunch Program; as much as 40 percent of children's daily calorie intake occurs at school.

Strengthening the Child Nutrition Act can help make sure those calories aren't empty ones - by banning unhealthy foods from schools, and promoting healthy alternatives like whole grains, fruits and vegetables and low- and fat-free milk. Tougher training standards could ensure that nutrition professionals have the skills and knowledge they need to serve healthful and appealing, quality meals.

Involving families by providing parents more information about school nutrition is a good idea, as is encouraging schools to buy and serve local fresh produce.

Obama has proposed an additional $10 billion in funding for these and other programs. We think it would be money well spent.

We just hope that legislators do the fiscally responsible thing, and ensure funding for any new nutrition and health incentives is offset by savings elsewhere in the federal budget.

Childhood obesity is not a problem we can afford to ignore, and it's time for our schools to step up - to educate young people about diet, exercise and the costs of neglecting their health.