The Washington Post had an excellent series the week of May 19 on the childhood obesity epidemic in our country. Young Lives at Risk - Our Overweight Children Although a report out later in the month stated that childhood obesity may be leveling off most scientists are still worried. ""We're not out of the woods by any stretch. Even if the rates don't go up any more, they are so high that the full impact of the childhood obesity epidemic will continue for the next few decades." David Ludwig, Boston Children's Hospital. The series also included a lot of information helpful to people of all ages.

Here are just a few facts from the series I found interesting.

• In 1963 the average 10 year old girl weighed 77lbs, boy 74lbs. Today, the average is 88lbs for girls and 85lbs for boys.

• Soft drink consumption has increased 300% in the last 20 years and is the leading source of added sugars for adolescents.

• 25% of all Americans eat fast food at least once a day

• 25% of all veggies eaten in the U.S. are French fries or chips.

• One pound of fat is about the size of a coffee mug.

• Some cases report at tenfold increase in type 2 diabetes among children and teens.