TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

The percentage of overweight and obese children has dropped by 1.1 percent in California, but Kern County's figures are still climbing to among the highest in the state.

A whopping 43.8 percent of local children surveyed are overweight or obese, a 5.8 percent jump from 2005.

Those are the findings of a study examining changes among 5th, 7th and 9th graders using data from the California Department of Education's 2005 and 2010 physical fitness tests.

"The statewide number gives me reason for hope, yet, at the same time, it's astounding that the number in some communities continues to rise," said Harold Goldstein, the executive director of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, which authored the study along with the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

Overall, the findings offered optimism that California's overall rate -- of 38 percent -- was leveling off. And some large counties such as Los Angeles and San Diego decreased their figures.

But Kern was one of just 10 California counties that had figures greater than 43 percent.

Goldstein said he did notice Kern County's numbers, which he called "shocking." Having nearly half of the county's children overweight or obese could have frightening consequences, such as creating the first generation of children who have shorter lifespans than their parents.

The high figures could also have implications beyond the health field. In conjunction with the study's release, the national security nonprofit Mission:Readiness issued a statement saying the figures "pose a very real threat to national security." That's because weight problems are the leading medical reason why young adults can't enter the military, the group said.

While Goldstein didn't offer a simple explanation for the high figures, he pointed to increased consumption of soft drinks, which he considers the simplest thing people can do to reduce their caloric intake.

"It used to be a 12-ounce glass with ice, and now it's a refillable 32-ounce jug," he said. "You don't get filled up with all those liquid calories."

He also stressed the importance of system-wide environmental changes, such as reducing the number of junk food options, and making healthier foods more readily available.

"The density of fast food in a community is a planning decision made by cities," he said. "The decision of how much fast food is a purposeful decision."

And, he emphasized the role of public health campaigns that spread awareness as a way of turning the tide.

That sentiment was echoed by Dr. Claudia Jonah, Kern County's public health officer.

"We've rolled up our sleeves and we can't sit back and rest just yet," she said. "We didn't get here in a day or a year, and it's going to take more than a day or a year to solve it."

With packed schedules, too many people choose fast food meals instead of healthy, balanced meals, she said. While she said there's no "magic bullet," she emphasized reducing stress and cooking something that grows, compared to processed foods.

In Kern County, Jonah offered numerous examples of efforts to reduce the high figures, such as opening more farmers' markets; creating grassroots walking groups, and launching campaigns to reduce sugary beverages.

Schools can also play a role in adding nutritional options like salad bars, increasing physical fitness time; and promoting safe walking routes.

Strategies working in schools also include having students stay afterward for physical education or journaling their daily diet, said Shelley Northrop, the health services coordinator for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools.

But, problems also arise when students go home. Too often children are sedentary after school and consume too much fast food, she said. With many low-income and migrant farm worker families, priorities are often placed on needs other than increasing physical activity, she said.

Health officials say there's a silver lining in Kern County's health woes: it's now on the radar for more grants.

"That's why we keep landing big grants," said Avtar Nijjer-Sidhu, a senior health educator for the county. "The good news is at least Kern County is on the radar."

Nijjer-Sidhu likened the obesity epidemic to the anti-tobacco campaign, a movement that takes a while before the trend is reversed.

"We are building a momentum and it will take a while," she said. "Kern County definitely needs more efforts."