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A daunting question given that 10% of U.S. healthcare costs are related to obesity, one third of us are obese, and another one third of us are overweight.  At least half of Americans have one chronic disease.  And our generation has not learned how to cook, either at school (Remember taking a home ec. class?  Well I don't either) or at home (How many of your mom's recipes do you cook on a regular basis?  No, really.)  Oh, and did I mention that many schools have cut funding for physical education?  

We are going to fight childhood obesity.  One pound at a time.  And we're going to win.  We are going to do this by remembering that our mothers were right. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.  You need to break the fast, literally. You need to rev the engine if you want it to work for you.  And, by the way, you need to put the right fuel in your engine.  

What does that literally mean?  It means limiting your saturated fats (the fat from four-legged animals).  Ok, I'm all for a little half-n-half in my morning coffee.  It means no trans fat.  Really, none.  No tropical oils.  It means no added syrups and sugars.  And it means brown grains instead of white.  Yup, that's whole wheat pasta and brown rice.

And one pound at a time, the children around you will change.  Actions speak louder than words.  Your actions.  When you make the right nutritional choices, children will watch.  And learn.  And mimic.  And suddenly eating breakfast becomes cool again. Fruit smoothies and homework suddenly seems like a great idea.  Making sandwiches stuffed with lean turkey, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado and mustard on a whole grain bread is suddenly a great lunch.  

One pound at a time.

Dr. Elizabeth Ricanati is the director of The Cleveland Clinic's LifeStyle 180 program and a regular columnist for ShareWIK.com