There's been good news recently on several fronts in the fight against childhood obesity.

Here at home, the state Department of Education launched its wellness program — in sync with federal guidelines — that will be phased in at all campuses over the next four years, beginning this school year. Among the sensible goals: Prohibiting snacks and drinks that exceed 8 grams of total fat and 2 grams of saturated fat per serving, with the exception of nuts and seeds; banning the sale on campus of beverages and snacks that are high in sugar; and increasing the amount of physical education our kids get weekly.

In short, it's a push to cut the junk food and get our kids moving. That's a good thing.

Of course, some parts of the plan will be easier to implement than others. Requiring more PE time, for example, will take more instructors and require a serious look at how all this would fit into an already significantly shortened school day, a result of teachers' union contracts.

Hawai'i's efforts come at a good time. A panel of health experts on Monday issued new guidelines on treating and preventing childhood obesity to date — further underscoring the importance of dealing with this problem.

The specialists, brought together by the American Medical Association and health-related government agencies, are calling for annual weight checks and counseling on weight management, regardless of whether the child is overweight or not. For those struggling with obesity, a four-stage treatment plan was suggested, designed to head off medication and surgery. The report also said children need an hour of physical activity daily and limits on the amount of sweets they should be allowed to eat.

And in Congress, lawmakers are now considering an amendment to the farm bill that would prohibit the sale of candy, sugary drinks and fatty foods in school vending machines, snack bars and specialty cafeteria lines.

The push to limit fats and sugars is encouraging, considering about 17 percent of children in this country suffer from obesity— more than three times the rate compared with 1970. Obesity raises risks factors for diabetes and high blood pressure as well as heart diseases, strokes and other serious illnesses.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that obesity rates among adults have stabilized in recent years, more than one-third of Americans 20 and older are now obese. That number is dangerously high. Experts worry that it will take years to see the full impact of overweight children, which makes this work all the more vital.

Both locally and nationally, these efforts are a positive sign that America is serious in its mission to curb childhood obesity. But dietary diligence is something that should also be taught at home. One of the greatest lessons we can leave with our children is that they can take control over their health now, by making healthy food choices and staying active. And that's a powerful message that will have lasting impact.