The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just released a report stating that as a country we’re making modest improvements in the obesity problems among our kids. The good news is that 19 states saw a decline in obesity while 3 saw an increase and the rest stayed stable.  Their conclusion was that more research is needed to figure out why kids struggle with weight issues and what can be done about it. Of course, they will recommend community and school programs.

There is nothing wrong with good programs. But as a mom, I would like to see the CDC help us parents. After all, we are the ones who buy groceries, pack lunches, or give money for school lunch. If we need financial help, schools provide it; but still, parents are the ones overseeing the majority of food our kids eat. So why the scarcity of research and help for us?

The ADD Health Study, one of the largest and best completed on kids’ behaviors, show that if you want to change a child’s behavior, help the two most influential groups of people in their lives: parents first and teachers second. Why? Because adults are the ones with power in…