Did you know we live in the United States' fattest region? Nine of the 10 "fattest" states are located in the South, according to the 2008

Southern Obesity Summit held earlier this week in Birmingham, Ala.

Fried food, fast food and soft drinks all play a role in Southern obesity, said summit organizers from the Texas Health Institute. Poverty and cultural influences also combine to produce a regional problem that affects states' fiscal health and even their ability to attract industry.

Summit visitors viewed nutrition and fitness booths and heard programs on community design and ways to promote healthy lifestyles for youth. The states were encouraged to find ways to allow vendors to make a profit while offering healthy products; speaker Hank Cardello of the Global Obesity Business Forum cited an example of a school district that saw vending profits rise by $4,000 after adding more water and juice in vending machines but pricing the drinks 25 to 50 cents lower than soft drinks.

Because of the pervasiveness of national advertising and peer pressure, a state or regional approach appears to be the only way to change the behavior of an entire region, although that doesn't relieve anyone of personal responsibility for their own fitness or that of their children.

But obesity -- and especially childhood obesity -- is a serious problem, and one that deserves immediate attention. We would like to see local schools remove all soft drinks and unhealthy snacks from their facilities and remove fried foods from their school lunch menus. Too often, unhealthy habits begin at a young age.