Childhood obesity is on the rise across the globe.

With more than one in four children overweight in America, many doctors consider it the country’s number one pediatric health problem. The South has the highest concentration of overweight kids.

GPB Radio is beginning a series this week looking at obesity research, programs that teach about proper eating and exercise and find out what is being done in Georgia to combat the growth of overweight children.

Today we begin with the school lunch menu.

Getting nutritious foods into the cafeteria has been the focus of many parents and educators.

Educators, meanwhile, have a daunting task ahead of them as they decide what to serve.

Reporter Carl Zornes visited a lunch food expo in Cobb County where vendors show off their newest food items.

Tags: health, Cobb County, obesity, childhood, All Things Considered, childhood obesity, school lunch, menu, healthy