AUGUSTA – As researchers draw a link between childhood obesity and school absenteeism, Gov. John Baldacci says he’s concerned about negative health trends in Maine, including overweight children.

“Sadly, in Maine as elsewhere, the number of overweight children is on the rise,” Baldacci said in his weekly radio address Saturday. “It’s easy to blame television and video games. But we should also look at ourselves, and ask whether we could be doing more.”

Maine’s governor addressed childhood obesity shortly after researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University released a study showing that obese elementary schoolchildren miss a couple of more school days on average than their normal-weight classmates.

Based on an analysis of more than 1,000 fourth- to sixth-graders for one academic year in nine Philadelphia schools, the study says that being fat is a better predictor for absenteeism than any other factor. It suggests that being overweight can lead to problems later in life.

In Maine, Baldacci said he’s concerned that children are increasingly disconnected from the outdoors. He challenged parents to do more to encourage their children to get outside.

“Are we taking our kids to parks?” Baldacci asked. “Are we playing outdoors with them? Are we introducing them to the joy and wonder of our natural world? Are we doing everything we can to connect children with nature?”

Baldacci, who climbed Maine’s mile-high Mount Katahdin with his teenage son earlier this summer, said the state offers a rich variety of outdoor attractions and boasts “a great outdoor lifestyle.” But he questioned whether state policies are encouraging more outdoor activity.

“I’d like to know whether our transportation, education and health policies are working to get children outside, or are they, inadvertently, contributing to keeping them indoors,” the governor said.

Baldacci said he’s directed state agencies to evaluate their programs and policies that encourage Maine people, especially youths, “to experience and appreciate the natural world.”

Baldacci’s radio address played off his administration’s “Take It Outside!” campaign he announced earlier this summer with Maine Olympic gold medalists Seth Wescott and Joan Benoit Samuelson.

The campaign encourages young Mainers to turn off their televisions, set aside their video games and spend more time outdoors.