As editorial writer Krista Ramsey points out in today's Forum section, modern lifestyle shifts - in which kids are less active, besieged by advertising campaigns and used to eating disproportionate servings of food - have led to an epidemic of obesity and diseases in children that used to be seen only in adults

Today's Forum begins a series of discussions on these pages for the next several months addressing the health of our children. Subjects will include fitness, nutrition, obesity and disease.

At its conclusion, we hope to have empowered you with the tools, expertise and inspiration to keep our children healthy so they can grow up to be important and productive members of society.

Financially, the costs of these problems are astronomical. Obesity-related illnesses alone will cost us about $117 billion nationally this year. An American Academy of Pediatrics study showed one-fifth of children ages 8 to 16 get two or fewer hours physical activity per week, while one-fourth watch more than four hours of television daily.

The human costs are even higher. Dr. Michael Farrell, chief of staff at Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, said he has watched Type II diabetes, once known as adult-onset diabetes, go from being unheard-of as a pediatric diagnosis during his medical training in the 1970s to outpacing juvenile diabetes diagnoses at Children's Hospital today.

Tell us what you think

This is the first installment of multiple forums the Enquirer's Editorial Board is presenting on our children's health. We also plan to visit schools, organizations and business to talk about this project, and would like your input. To contact us about having a discussion, call Krista Ramsey at (513) 768-8527. E-mail to letters@enquirer.com. Write "Children's Health Forum" in the subject line. Or mail to Children's Health, Enquirer, 312 Elm St., Cincinnati, OH 45202. Please include your name and a daytime phone number.

So what to do?

For starters, pledge to do something to improve children's health. We are asking families, schools and other organizations to take action. Suggestions can be found on the Opinions page. The "Join Up" pledge can be found on the cover of the Forum section. We are looking for folks who will be willing to pledge to make lifestyle changes and share it with our readers. We want to hear about your suggestions that can help make this project more successful.

The problems we are facing now in children's health are preventable if the right steps are taken. Small personal changes, improvements in public policy and sound thinking by families, educators and community groups can prevent, reverse or reduce these health threats.