When you go out to eat, you might try to do right by your diet and steer clear of the fattiest meals on the menu. But what about your children? Kids are thinking about taste -- not calories -- when they pick their dinner. Unfortunately, children's menus are packed with unhealthy dishes that could easily contain 100 percent of your little one's daily recommended calories.

Children's Health magazine took a look at the kids' meals at restaurants around the country and rounded up the 20 worst foods for kids in America.

The biggest offender on the list was Uno's Chicago Grill's Kids' Kombo with Fries. This hefty plate of cheese sticks, dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets and fries dished up a whopping 1,250 calories, 79 grams of fat and 2,850 mg of sodium. Add Uno's kid's sundae, (voted the worst dessert) and your child could wind up eating 2,110 calories in one sitting. To put it in perspective, the average nine-year-old needs 1,600 calories a day. Oh, and if you think ordering Uno's pizza is any better, think again: Their deep dish pepperoni took the award for the worst pizza for kids, packing in 980 calories and 70 grams of fat.

Other offenders on the list include Burger King's 1,100-calorie kids' double cheeseburger, fries and a Coke, On the Border's 980-calorie bean and cheese nachos for kids, and Baskin-Robbins small Snickers shake, which is loaded with 1,040 calories and 50 grams of sugar.

Visiting the local corner store brings back childhood memories for many people -- a soda after school with friends, gum while en route to the high school football game or cookies with teammates after an extra-long practice. Even Charlie from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" is remembered for visiting his local corner store in search of a Wonka Bar with one of the Golden Tickets.

What was once an occasional treat for school-age kids is now a daily trend that could be contributing to childhood obesity, according to new research published in the journal Pediatrics. In this study, more than 800 urban children in Philadelphia were surveyed about their buying habits at local corner stores. What was discovered was not only the number of times the young fourth- to sixth-graders frequented the store, but the amount of food purchased with very little money.

More than half of these inner-city children reported shopping at the corner store every day before or after school. With an average purchase of just $1.07, they were able to afford an eight-ounce drink, a single serving bag of chips, an assortment of candy or gum and a Popsicle. That amounts to more than 350 calories per visit with items high in calories, fat and/or sugar, and low in nutrients.

School kids are walking around with flavored milk mustaches. White milk is out, strawberry and chocolate are in. While milk is a good calcium source for kids, it's drawn the short straw thanks to the success of energy drinks and flavored water. Unfortunately, nine out of every 10 preteen girls don't consume the recommended three calcium servings a day, and boys are not far behind at seven out of 10. Keep in mind, bone density peaks during adolescence.

With soda stripped from many public schools, flavored milk has proven an attractive calcium-filled compromise to attract sugar-hungry kids. But with the rise in childhood obesity, not every school district is behind the flavored milk craze. Chicago suburban Barrington District 220 banned flavored milk this past fall, one of the brave first in Illinois. If it works, it may be extended to the town's high school. Dairy consumption has dropped 11 percent in the first two months, but school officials are betting milk sales will rebound just like beverage sales did after the soda ban.

I say good for Barrington District 220. I don't like flavored milk in schools. Kids get enough sugar as it is, why does a calcium-filled, daily staple like milk have to be sweetened, too? Let alone the fact kids eating breakfast and lunch at school are downing up to 10 cartons of flavored milk a week. This is exactly the kind of nutritional habit that puts kids at risk for weight problems. Every day should not be treat day -- save the chocolate milk mustache for special occasions. What's your take?

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Plant a tree against obesity. How about that for a tagline? According to a newly published study at the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, there's some truth in it.

A new study of more than 3,800 inner-city children revealed higher neighborhood "greenness" was associated (not causal, here) with slower increases in body mass index (BMI) over time -- regardless of age, race or sex. Study participants aged 3 to 18 years lived in the same residence for more than 24 consecutive months.

Maybe shady streets invite kids out to play. Maybe that green park around the corner instead of the trash-littered empty lot makes all the difference. One thing I do know is it's extremely difficult to lose weight once you've put it on. Overweight or obese children are at risk for a lifetime of obesity and all of its associated health problems. Maybe neighborhood green space is more important to your child's health than that extra half bath.

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Think about it: You have Tony the Tiger telling you that sugary Frosted Flakes are Grrrrrrrreat and Sunny the Coco Puffs bird telling you to go Cukoo for Coco Puffs. But where's Larry the Lion telling you to eat your fruit salad? Or Fiona the Frog telling you get your five to 10 veggie servings a day? OK, these examples are pretty lame but with the exception of Pop-Eye and his spinach, you have to admit that hardly any cartoon mascots are encouraging kids to get healthy. No wonder youngsters just keep getting bigger and bigger.

That's what they're saying over in Britain anyway, where the lack of healthy cartoon characters is causing a stir. Says one health reporter: "Cartoons are great fun for kids. We definitely don't want to see the end of popular characters like Tony the Tiger and the Honey Monster, but we do want to see them promoting healthier products. Food companies must play their part in the fight against childhood obesity and diet-related disease by acting responsibly."

What do you think? Are cartoon characters a big part of the obesity problem or is this just another excuse to deflect the blame from the lack of parental nutrition guidelines?

(via Calorie Lab)

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South Korea has seen the obesity rate of children triple in the last three years, and the country isn't content to sit back and watch that number grow along with the children's waistlines. The country is planning to offer money to schools whose students' BMI indicate obesity.

The students won't be able to use that money for more sweets. Instead, the schools will give the students vouchers that can only be used in particular places, like, apparently, the gym.

You might wonder why the government wants to pay schools with unhealthily heavy students -- I know I did. According to the ministry, childhood obesity-related costs to the government and the economy in 2006 were $2 trillion (yes, with a "t"), so giving the schools money to fight this trend is truly cost effective. What do you think?

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For kids' sakes, parents need to answer the nationwide Help Wanted ad for Gaming Gatekeepers -- now. This is especially relevant for our family at the moment, based on watching my seven-year-old's new, disturbing behavior after receiving his very first, high-tech video game a month ago. If he could, he'd play it for hours on end, forsaking active indoor and outside imaginary play with neighborhood friends. He's not alone, new research reveals video games are ubiquitous these days -- 99 percent of boys and 94 percent of girls aged 12 to 17 are gamers. A comparison of studies suggests an American child is about three times more likely to play a video game than ride a bike.

So my husband and I have answered the call, accepting Gaming Gatekeeper positions in the interest of our son's (and daughter's) health. We have seriously limited total screen time in front of both that Star Wars PC-compatible video game and the TV -- no more than two hours per day, usually less. We're manning the gamer gate to keep their bodies and minds within a three-dimensional, active world versus sitting numbly for hours interacting with a flat screen. Each day we try not to call in sick, take a personal day or sleep on the job. Yes, healthier eating habits will chip away at our nation's childhood obesity problem, but I think the lack of physical activity nowadays compared to the Pre-Home Video Game Era is a major factor in rising obesity.

Kids are not churning their legs enough on bicycles, running the backyards or zipping up and down stairs pretending to climb mountains. Instead, they're all thumbs. It's time adults limit screen time and get kids moving again. Here are a few good ideas to get you started. Stay tuned -- I'll soon share creative ways to hurdle even more barriers to outdoor play.

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If you're expecting, not only should you not count calories, you should be wary of pesticides too, according to recent reports. In studying childhood obesity, researchers discovered a strong link between chemical contamination in the womb and cases of obesity in children. Just why this link exists is not yet clear, but it's thought that these findings could forever change the way foods are processed worldwide.

Chemicals that showed a link to obesity (called Obesogens) include organotins, bisphenol A (BPA), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and phthalates. Unfortunately, it's believed the nearly everyone in the world has traces of these chemicals in their bodies.

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I'm on the fence about weight loss camps for kids. Sure they teach healthy habits, but what about the potential for emotional stigma? Are the benefits worth the risk? It probably depends on the child, the family, and the camp and how the situation is handled. What a good weight loss camp can do, I imagine, is take a child out of an environment filled with unhealthy habits and give them time to learn new, healthier ways of living.

What a handful of camps are doing right, then, are inviting family members along for the ride. Though the camper is the one who spends the majority of the time at camp, parents and siblings are invited along for a long weekend near the end of the summer. There, they too learn the joys of exercise and techniques for feeding their lighter and healthier camper.

It makes sense. Kids have a low tolerance for hypocrites, especially when it's their parents who don't practice what they preach. Since research shows that teens and dieting don't mix, encouraging entire families to be more active and focus on healthy foods seems like a recipe for success.

When it comes to weight loss camps for kids, what's your opinion?

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Think about it: What form of technology has made the single biggest impact in the lives of children over the past 100 years? Computers have revolutionized the world, but I suspect television has made the biggest impact on young people, particularly because they are a captive audience subjected to clever and manipulative advertising that is targeted specifically at them. As such, it's believed that TV advertising is one of the top causes of ever-rising childhood obesity.

This revelation has caused Mark Scott, the Managing Director of the Australian Broadcasting Corp, to push back against kid-targeted advertising, and he's calling for a commercial-free Children's channel to be developed down under.

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You don't have to swim to complete a triathlon. At least that's the ticket for Tri-Masters, host of a unique summer triathlon training camp for at-risk children preparing for the Tri-Masters Invitational Kids Triathlon in Chicago.

Founded by Ironman competitor Bernard Lyles in 1992, Tri-Masters is pushing back against the wave of childhood obesity and teaching lifelong lessons along the way to dozens of black and Latino inner city youth through its creative triathlon training program. This race choice is especially unique -- one recent survey indicates nearly 60 percent of black and Latino children can't swim.

This past summer, sixty-three Tri-Masters campers were coached on the basics of swimming, cycling and running, honing their skills along a grueling six-week training schedule. As the race day horn sounded, competitors splashed into Lake Michigan on a 100 meter swim course parallel to the beach -- shallow enough to walk -- about 25 yards from shore. Many swam, some scooted along on their arms, some walked. A 4 km pedal followed, then a 1 km run. Beautiful. No doubt this empowering triathlon program lives up to its slogan Tri and you can master anything in life.

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Thirty-two percent of American schoolchildren are overweight or obese. If that's not alarming enough, the American Liver Foundation and others estimate two percent to five percent of kids over the age of five have nonalcholic fatty liver disease. The common cause is too much body fat, which inflames the liver and can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer.

Experts are warning many of these kids may need a liver transplant in their 30s or early 40s. Last year, two liver transplants were performed on American children with the condition -- a significant change from only three transplants performed for this population between 1990-2002.

The only treatment known to stop or reverse the disease is losing weight. Dr. Stephanie Abrams, a liver and obesity specialist at Texas Children's Hospital, sees patients succeed when the entire family commits to changing their diet and exercising. However Abrams is concerned society isn't changing. She's right. Lean may be "in" with celebrities, but it's hardly mainstream -- about two-thirds of all Americans are overweight. Fighting adolescent fatty liver disease isn't a family affair, it's a societal one.

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The phrase 'healthy schools' is not always an oxymoron. Hidden amongst the chicken nugget-filled school cafeterias and academic hallways lined with soda vending machines exist special public schools successfully raising the bar to promote student health. As a future educator (I'm halfway done with my M.Ed.) I am thrilled to read about schools making a difference in the battle against childhood obesity.

Health Magazine recently asked education officials nationwide for their state's healthy school nominations. They determined the Top 10 winners utilizing rigorous criteria from the state of Wisconsin and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, turning to an expert panel to review the pool of 10 and determine final rankings.

A big congratulations to all the nominees -- here are a few highlights I found particularly notable from the first and second place winners of the Healthiest Schools contest:

First Place -- West Babylon Senior High (NY) -- 1,500 students: The assistant principal strolls the cafeteria with a basket of fruit (is this a dream?), vending machines sport only water, milk and fruit juice, fryers have been replaced with state-of-the-art ovens and students lead the School Wellness Council -- sticking to healthy fundraisers offering baby carrots, sugar-free gelatin, raisins and nuts. All I consumed in high school were the M&Ms I sold for band and foil-wrapped chocolate hearts peddled by the poms and cheerleaders.

Second Place -- TIE -- Amory Middle School (MS) -- 479 students: While Mississippi has the worst obesity rates in the nation, Amory Middle is a stellar model for fitness. They offer students an on-site rock climbing wall and fitness center, a proactive hydration policy which allows students to bring water into the classroom and encourage healthy eating with special events such as the Healthy Wok workshop.

Second Place -- TIE -- Rawhide Elementary (WY) -- 170 students: Amazingly, Rawhide Elementary employs a Building Fitness Coordinator (beyond the PE instructor) to provide students 20 minutes of daily wellness time in addition to PE and recess. The campus also offers a walking loop, a before-school Cardiac Club and helps keep the staff healthy with fitness assessment tools and discounted fitness/recreation center memberships.

I've intensively researched school health and nutrition programs over the past couple years -- the topic is a passion of mine. Quite often it is one advocate -- a parent, an educator, a school board member -- who ignites an environment of change. Maybe that person can be you.

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Maggie recently shared celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is helping to overhaul the UK's school nutrition program with healthier choices. They need a slew of chefs tying on aprons for the cause -- 23 percent of British children are overweight or obese.

British school officials are now instituting a new tactic. Starting in September, UK schools will begin weighing kindergarteners and students in their last year of primary school, and sending a letter home to parents with results. To avoid stigma, skinny and fat kids alike will receive a letter. To avoid hurt feelings, the terms "obese" or "fat" will not be used, replaced by "overweight" or "very overweight" instead. The British National Obesity Forum labeled this move "prissy and namby-pamby."

The British health minister says with so many children overweight or obese, many parents are having trouble determining if their own child is too heavy, and the letters are an early-warning system to prevent later health problems. I embrace healthier school nutrition programs, but will a new Big Brother -- the public school system -- honestly change eating and fitness behaviors of schoolchildren?

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Do kids play less and eat more junk food during the summer? If so, it's likely they'd pack on more pounds, too. I'm a big supporter of solid school nutrition programs, but what happens to kids when the bell rings and they're back home for the summer?

A New York Times article explored this question just the other day. There's not much research on the subject, but one study from 1998-99 revealed body mass index for kindergarteners and 1st graders increased two to three times as fast in the summer as during the regular school year. Minority and already overweight kids were even more at risk for summertime weight gain. While school nutrition might not be the best, this study suggests the school year does deliver structured eating times and guaranteed movement if kids are lucky enough to have gym and recess every day.

However not every kid heads to an activity-filled summer day camp with a healthy-packed lunch and snacks in hand. Also, for kids privileged to attend an extended away camp, is camp nutrition necessarily any better than many of our nation's fat-filled school nutrition programs? What about kids hanging out at home, are they eating more and moving less? As the article points out, children staying at home don't run from one activity to another like a day camper. Even worse, kids from low-income families often spend summer at home unsupervised. Personally, I'm a stay-at-home mom and our oldest is just entering 1st grade, so I have no perspective. My kids pretty much eat the same year-round. Any parents with school-age children have thoughts to share?

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