One quarter of all U.S. children ages 2 to 17 are obese, according to the Center on an Aging Society. Several more million children are at risk. Obese children are more likely to remain obese in adulthood, says LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Heli Roy.

Active children are more likely to become active adults. As many children grow into adolescence, however, their physical activity levels decline, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.

Most people face the holiday season with some fear of gaining weight. The good news is that although many people gain, research suggests that the gain will probably be only 1 pound, not 5, notes LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.

Both obesity and being overweight have increased significantly in recent years, with nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults being one or the other. Whether this weight gain has resulted more from an increasing sedentary lifestyle or from less exercise is under debate, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Heli Roy.

White adolescents are more occupied with thinness than black adolescents. LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Heli Roy examines this phenomenon found in a Pennington Biomedical Research Center study.

(Distributed September 2004) Eating a diet high in fruits, vegetables, reduced-fat dairy products and whole grains may help control weight, according to LSU Agricultural Center nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.