The escalating childhood and adult obesity problem in America demands substantive action. Certainly, at a bare minimum, the foods and beverages offered in school cafeterias must be improved to offer better nutrition and fewer empty calories, but in addition, steps should be taken to bring the schools and communities into the effort at a conceptual level. Partnerships need to be forged with health-care providers, industry, non-profit organizations, and health-oriented groups to identify and facilitate what each can contribute and establish a framework for receiving and processing their contributions ("Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity: Focus on Schools" 3). Local schools and communities should be empowered to participate, stakeholder support should be built up, and mechanisms should be put into place to document and evaluate obesity prevention efforts ("Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity: Focus on Schools" 4-6). Innovation should be infused into the process to develop solutions and overcome barriers to success ("Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity: Focus on Schools" 6).
Simplistic solutions such as offering apples in addition to cookies and cake for dessert are only partial solutions because the issue of childhood obesity itself is complex and related to a child's total environment. Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance points out that "Childhood obesity...has biological, behavioral, social, economic, environmental, and cultural causes, which collectively have created over decades an adverse environment for maintaining a healthy weight." This environment is characterized by city and neighborhood design that discourages walking and other exercise, a fast-paced lifestyle that leads to greater use of convenience foods that are high in fat and calories, reduced access to affordable fruits and vegetables, and a leisure time habit of watching TV or playing video games instead of playing <...