Beating the bulge begins.

With obesity among children rising at what health officials warn are alarming rates across the nation, many schools are cracking down on the sugars and fats served in their cafeterias.

French fry lovers in Texas, for example, will have to settle for oven baked instead. In Lynnfield, Mass., middle school students who choose green beans, Jell-O, and milk to go with their low-fat chicken nuggets can tally up bonus points to win T-shirts, skateboards and backpacks instead of fat calories.

It's all part of an effort, say nutrition advocates, to turn schools into nutrition educators instead of junk food anablers.

Today there is twice the number of overweight children than in the 1980s and three times the number of overweight teenagers. Federal health officials say the number is rising so quickly that poor diet and physical inactivity will soon overtake tobacco as a leading cause of death in the country.

In Texas, where obesity rates are higher than national rates, a new law prohibits bake sales before school and bans candy and soda in the elementary schools. It also limits sales from vending machines in the upper grades until lunch periods are over so students don't fill up and spend money on nutritionally poor snacks instead of healthier lunches. Deep-fried foods are also out.

"Children get about 60 percent of their daily food intake on our premises. If you are looking at one important place to address the issue [of obesity], you have to look at schools," says Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs. "As a policy maker, as a parent, how can we turn our backs on something that ought to scare us all to death?"

Health advocates say while schools in general are paying more attention to what is being served in the lunch line, there are numerous hurdles to healthier cafeterias. Already stretched from slashed budgets, schools are faced with lost revenue if they limit vending contracts that kick back money into their coffers. Also, healthier foods, such as fresh fruit, can be more expensive to purchase than pre-packaged processed foods. But some schools are turning to vending machines that offer water and sports drinks instead of soda as well as healthier snacks such as baked chips.

"I think there is a real trend toward getting junk food out of schools," says Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, "but the trend needs to pick up the pace because the obesity rate is increasing so rapidly. We need stronger state legislation or federal guidelines."

Percentage of overweight
Children age 6-19 years

1966-1970     5%
1971-1974     5
1976-1980     6
1988-1994    11
1999-2000    15