A bookshelf worth of recent studies has found that American kids are getting fatter. Further studies, as if they were needed, reveal that poor food choices and a lack of exercise are to blame. The federal government’s response to this obesity epidemic is to turn the food pyramid on its side and to prod kids to eat better through a video game. Fortunately, the Maine Center for Public Health has come up with a simpler, more straightforward way to improve youth health.

Their message is easy to remember and follow and it covers the three areas that contribute most to youth obesity – diet, physical activity and screen time. It’s called the 5-2-1-0 countdown to good health. Here’s what it stands for. Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables on most days. Limit screen time to 2 hours or less daily. Participate in at least 1 hour or more of physical activity every day. The 0 is for avoiding soda and sugar-sweetened drinks and limiting fruit juice in favor of water and fat-free milk.

The message is simple by design, says Dora Mills, head of the Maine Bureau of Health and a MCPH board member. The other messages that have been used haven’t worked as evidenced by the steady increase in youth obesity. What was needed, Dr. Mills says, is a short list of simple things that families can do together, such as eating fruits and vegetables and limiting TV watching.

The 5-2-1-0 message is reinforced by questionnaires that are now being used in 12 medical practices across the state, including clinics in Bangor, Dover-Foxcroft and Ellsworth. The questionnaire, which asks about family eating habits, TV watching and physical activity, is meant to give physicians an easy way to start a conversation with parents about their children’s health.

The questionnaire highlights what parents are doing right while pointing out problem areas. Physicians can also help by suggesting simple steps – such as walking to school and involving kids in picking and buying fresh fruits and vegetables – that can improve family health.

A survey will be done early next year to see if the questionnaire and 5-2-1-0 message is changing behavior and improving youth health. If it is, expect to see this simple, easy-to-follow campaign spread throughout the state.