A new study on obesity among low-income children highlights a perplexing problem that requires action by entire communities.

Researchers at Iowa State University tested a popular theory that poor children are more likely to be overweight because their parents must serve cheaper, less nutritious food or compensate for skipped meals with oversized portions.

The study involved 1,031 low-income children in three cities. It found that half were overweight but only 8 percent were affected by food shortages.

The study illustrates the frustrations of dealing with a problem whose cause is elusive.

Sarah Hampl, medical director of weight management services at Children's Mercy Hospital, rightly says that physicians and communities can't wait for researchers to pin down a cause.

About 35 percent of children who arrive at Children's Mercy's primary care clinics are overweight or obese. They come from all income levels.

"This is an epidemic and we need to move on it," Hampl said.

That means action on many fronts:

• Schools must serve healthy lunches and build physical activity into their schedules.

• Cities must work to make neighborhoods safer for children to play outdoors, and encourage exercise with bike paths and trails.

• Churches and community groups can educate parents about low-cost, healthy food choices.

Researchers believe extra pounds in childhood could result in heart disease and other serious illnesses in early adulthood. Helping young people slim down can save lives.

— The Kansas City Star

The Department of Homeland Security has announced that it plans to tighten the identification requirements along the U.S.-Canadian border as of Jan. 31, when it will no longer simply allow either Americans or Canadians to come into the country simply by presenting a driver's license and declaring their citizenship. Not only would this new requirement create additional delays along the border and cost border communities money, it is in direct defiance of a law just passed by Congress.In short, this initiative is bureaucratic arrogance of breathtaking proportion.It's not that tightening identity requirements along the northern border is a bad idea. But doing so will be difficult and expensive — perhaps impossible — to implement right now. Congress recognized that reality when it passed a law postponing until 2009 the implementation of a 2004 rule requiring a passport and proof of citizenship, rather than the more relaxed standards that have worked fairly well for years.You may remember that the DHS was forced to suspend a similar rule for air travelers last summer when the requirement to show a passport created a huge backlog at U.S. passport offices. Forcing U.S. citizens to get a passport if they want to go to Canada and return could create a similar jam. There's not enough time for all the U.S. citizens who routinely go into Canada and return to get passports immediately, even if the passport office was operating at top efficiency, which it isn't.Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff played the fear card, claiming that failure to act now will lead to "another 9-11 Commission" investigating another attack by foreigners. Unfortunately, acting now will create disruption for travelers and cost businesspeople in both the U.S. and Canada money. The new rule might well become practical in a year or two, but right now it isn't. The DHS needs to back off.<B><I>— The Orange County (Calif.) Register</I></B>