Last week, the Tallahassee Democrat rolled out a series of articles focused around children. One in particular stood out to me, entitled "Health woes mount for kids" by Angeline Taylor, addressing childhood obesity in Leon County and all of Florida.

Nationwide and internationally, many celebrities - from the First Lady's campaign to Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution - are highlighting childhood obesity as a growing problem. It's time we took the torch.

Fat Facts

• Obesity is now the most prevalent nutritional disease of children and adolescents in the United States.
• Obese children and teens have been found to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and abnormal glucose tolerance.
• Less common health conditions associated with increased weight include asthma, hepatic steatosis, sleep apnea and Type 2 diabetes.
• We've long known that overweight children are often the target of bullying, and this is considered a psychosocial consequence of childhood obesity. Low self-esteem could hinder academic and social success, and can carry on into adulthood.

A combination of healthy foods and an active lifestyle is obviously the solution. But if children don't see these healthy choices encouraged and modeled by their parents, they don't see the value in it. Keep that New Years Resolution to eat better and get more exercise - it's good for your own body, and your kids' bodies, too.