OVERCOMING OBESITY

"The bottom line is the environments are not conducive to physical activity and healthy eating. And that needs to change and that's what we're working on here at the Mid-Ohio Valley," says John Yauch, outreach specialist for the West Virginia Bureau of Public Health.

It's all a matter of taking little steps toward better health and that starts with getting outside.

"One of the things we've been working on is that our trails and tracks are biker friendly, walker friendly for all age groups and abilities," says Carrie Brainard, health and wellness director for the Mid-Ohio Heath Department. You don't have to run a marathon, just getting up and walking around the block or going to one of the trails that we have and enjoying nature."

Look at what are you buying in the market and what are you are feeding your kids.

"It does start at home and the lessons that parents teach the kids are going to be vital to their growth and development later on," Yauch says.

Altering the diet is not enough, get your kids moving.

"Watch what they eat and drink and to make it fun and get them involved in the cooking of those fresh fruits and vegetables and challenge them to try new things and make it a fun project," says Brainard. "Then also, you can't just change the food, you also have to get them out and active."

Change doesn't happen overnight and when it comes to obesity... it's years in the making.

"Obesity prevention has been a pretty significant topic in the last few years and we are starting to makes strides but yes, it will take years for the plan to actually come to fruition and actually see the obesity rates dropping," says Yauch.

It take a community to change the future of obesity.