(3/18/99)

Pediatricians and dieticians today called Americans to arms - to battle what they say has become an epidemic of obesity in children.

Science Specialist Ed Yeates has the results of a pilot project called "Planet Health."

The Planet Health project is an attempt to reverse some alarming statistics.

Obesity in children has increased 54 percent over a 17 year period - with one in five children now considered overweight.

According to studies, they begin at an early age watching too much television, playing too many video games, and spending too much time on the internet.

Television advertises fast food - so kids sit and eat.

Dietician Julie Metos at Primary Children's Medical Center says even the serving size has gotten larger. Bigger pizzas, bigger hamburgers - even super sized muffins.

"What comes to my mind is a little muffin which I made at home in a muffin tin - that size. But if I go out into the world and I see muffins now - they're this big. So they're about four or five of the muffins I would have had when I was a child."

Julie teaches classes weekly at Primary Children's, trying to change almost two decades of bad habits.

And it's not just here. It's a worldwide epidemic.

The Planet Health project comes in many forms. Some sixth grade students try it out as part of their regular curriculum.

They commit to do some different kind of homework - watching less television, eating better foods - and doing more exercise.

Amanda Marie Orton in Bountiful says her Primary Children's class is paying off. "I can run a little faster than I used to and longer and I can control my eating and say that's enough," she says.

Under the Planet Health program, students agree to watch not more than two hours of t.v. per day - and to participate in moderate to vigorous exercise at least one-half hour per day.

So far, the pilot project has reduced obesity in girls - but has had little effect on the boys.