It's no fun being a fat kid, but these days, more youngsters than ever are overweight or obese.

It's a crushing problem, and for that reason we endorse the effort of first lady Michelle Obama, who launches her ambitious campaign today toward solving the dilemma of supersized kids.

Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years, with 19.6 percent of American children ages 6 to 11 obese in 2008, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It's been proven statistically that overweight children grow up to be unhealthy, overweight adults.

The reason so many children are so big is that they are consuming more calories than they are burning. These youngsters could benefit by the example of adults - their parents, educators, coaches and, yes, Mrs. Obama - who can model making healthy food choices and the benefits of regular exercise.

Don't think diet and deprivation, think lifestyle change. Carrot sticks over cookies and ice-skating instead of Xbox.

Mrs. Obama is well aware of the enormity of the problem and the difficulty of changing people's habits, but she is committed. She understands what is at stake; the physical, social and psychological problems that overweight kids face.

Americans are divided on many issues, but certainly this cause for our kids is one that people of all political stripes can rally around.