The winter months can pack on the pounds for adults and children alike.

During those times people are eating more and exercising less.

A study by the National Institutes of Health shows that 75 percent of all weight is gained between November and January.

That fact compounds the larger problem of obesity and childhood obesity.

Doctors and researchers say obesity in America is at an epidemic level, costing the health care industry an estimated $102.2 billion each year.

The rate of childhood obesity is triple what it was 20 years ago.

The main problem is a combination of unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical activity.

But there is a renewed effort in the Madison area, and across the country to get kids up and going.

At Hamilton Middle School there were big changes in gym class.

"There were some good things happening in the old PE class, but it wasn't addressing the needs of all kids," said MMSD's Bob Pellegrino.

Physical education teachers like Peg Guse worked with local pediatric obesity specialists to design gym classes with fitness in mind.

"Rather than promote team only sports such as dodgeball and other things, a lot of schools have said, 'If we're talking about physical education, we're learning about our bodies and how to promote activities,'" said UW Pediatric Endocrinologist Dr. Aaron Carrel. "There are ways we can help kids do that."

"Last year what we did was curl ups and push ups and jogged laps," said Guse. "Every day we did the same thing over and over again. This year it's definitely a lot more variety. Every three weeks we switch to a different six stations and work on a different body or muscle group. They get a lot more education in toning and such."

When News 3 came to class, sixth-graders were twisting with medicine balls, using bands to stretch their arms and legs and jumping over small hurdles.

"The kids get more out of phy-ed if they know they have a variety of options for them," said Guse.

But it's not exactly what she was trained for.

"We learned about team sports and we learned how to manage a group of kids, that was basically the training," she said.

New equipment was purchased for elementary and middle schools to use with a $1.5 million federal PEP grant.

The grant was also used to purchase spinning cycles, heart rate monitors, and pedometers for schools.

In the coming year all four city high schools will be equipped with rock climbing walls and outdoor adventure courses.

"Rather than feeling like we're telling kids what to do, we're really trying to find things they enjoy doing," said Carrel. "So, fun is the backbone of this."

"They have to like being physically active," said Pellegrino. "So we're hoping they'll find some niches that they can maintain the rest of their life."

One of the main objectives of the PEP grant was to re-engage kids in physical activity who may have gotten away from it.

Not all kids are geared for team sports. And spots on sports teams are limited, thus further limiting the physical activity of some students.

But offering elective courses like Memorial High School's advanced ropes, or outdoor adventure gives all kids a chance to be active hiking, biking or even kayaking.

"It really brings in other kids who are not engaged, but what's also interesting is that those athletes love to do this too," said Pellegrino. Local insurance company, Physicans Plus, is also picking up the pace in getting kids active.

The company said one-third of all its medical costs every year are obesity-related.

Those numbers were a driving factor behind the company's GO Passport.

The GO Passport is a booklet with 22 activities challenges for kids. After each challenge the child is asked to have an adult sign the page or get a Physicians Plus stamp.

The challenges range from playing in the sprinkler for a half hour to participating in the Fit Kids Challenge on the Capitol Square.

Kids who have at least 12 completed activities can send in their passport to enter a drawing for new bikes for their whole family, or a weekend at the Kalahari Waterpark.

Anyone can participate in the passport program.

"The big picture is that we want these kids to be healthy adults and the way you make them healthy adults is to make them healthy kids," said Pellegrino.

The current GO Passport expires on Dec. 31, 2006. New ones will be available after the first of the year. To request one visit the Physicians Plus Web site.

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