A survey of 3,000 elementary schoolchildren published Tuesday by the New York Department of Health found that nearly half were overweight and one in four was obese.

"What's changed is the increasing of the sedentary lifestyle, the supersizing fast-food, video-game culture, and it's leading to a real epidemic," warned city Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden

"Obesity is already a problem as early as kindergarten, he added.

The study was broken down along ethnic lines, with 31 percent of Hispanic children aged 6-11 found to be obese, compared to 23 percent for African-Americans.

Obesity among the white and Asian communities was running at 16 percent and 14 percent respectively.

Frieden warned that the obesity levels placed children at greater risk for a number of chronic health conditions, including diabetes.

A comparable survey in 2000 had found that 15 percent of elementary children nationwide were obese.

Frieden pleaded with parents to change family diets, especially where children are concerned, by cutting back on fast-food and sodas and substituting skim milk for whole milk.

He also called for other lifestyle changes, including less time watching television and more active play-time.

Last month, New York education authorities moved to upgrade the nutritional quality of school cafeteria food and prevent the sale of unhealthy snack items like candy bars and high-sugar soft drinks on school premises.

TERRA.WIRE