In a recent editorial article on CNN.com from sociologist Amitai Etzioni, he writes that dieting is a losing game. Just like most of us, he's tried to diet over the years and felt guilty when he ate chocolate but proud when he ate celery. Nonetheless, he remains about the same size and the same is true for most of us. Think of 10 people who you've known for years and ask if any of them have actually changed their body shape much.

A report from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition stated that about 80% of people fail at their weight loss efforts. Etzioni writes that this high failure rate is despite all of the public health campaigns and diet books and diet programs that we constantly hear about. It also means that we're not only experiencing the negative health effects of being overweight, but also those of yo-yo dieting. He advises a different approach dedicated to raising healthier kids.

"Think of body mass like cement. It is rather easy to shape when it is new, but once it settles, it is very resistant to change," writes Etzioni. Teaching children healthy habits early is the best way to fix our county's weight problem. He believes that public policy makers need to focus on parents. Provide them with the information they need to raise healthy, fit children. Schools need to offer healthier food in their vending machines and cafeterias, and have the funding they need for gym classes.

Etzioni gives credit to Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign to get children outside and exercising. It's up to the millions of parents in America to raise a healthier generation who won't have the weight battles we do now. He closes with, "As for me, I still have my celery and my chocolate days, only now I do celery when the kids are around -- and chocolate cake when they are not."

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