It's good the state and school districts are trying to do something about childhood obesity, but their efforts will probably be as effective as most quick weight-loss schemes. Health is and should be mostly a matter of personal and family responsibility.

Obesity among children is a national problem, and Utah's schools have been called the worst in the nation as far as making junk food available to students. A Sunday story in the Daily Herald highlighted some of the more worrisome statistics. For example, 83 percent of Utah schools sell chocolate in vending machines or school stores. By comparison, across the United States an average of only 40 percent of schools sell chocolate.

It does seem inappropriate for government to make sugary or fatty snacks easily available. In health class, teachers lecture about the risks of consuming too much sugar, salt or fat. But when students get out of class, they often see the school store or authorized vending machines dispensing candy bars and potato chips like Las Vegas slot machines.

This can't help the credibility of teachers.

The selling of snacks may even put the education establishment's credibility in question. In December, a Utah State Board of Education panel looked at setting statewide standards for junk food, but balked in the end. "Local control" was said to be the main factor. Sharp-tongued observers, however, have wondered aloud whether the $3.75 million schools rake in each year from selling snacks was also a factor.

We don't say the decision was about money, but neither do we say it was not. Either way, the existence of the question doesn't exactly burnish the image of Utah education.

So it is good that school districts are moving ahead with plans to restrict what is seen as junk food.

In the Provo School District, for instance, a new vending machine will ban pure sugar products, and limit items to 300 calories. In the Alpine School District, two junior high schools have removed the vending machines altogether. In other schools, food machines vend nothing but nuts and crackers, and drink machines eschew soft drinks for water, milk, fruit juice and sports drinks. Nebo School District has expelled candy and gum and limits vending-machine items to 250 calories.

These are worthy actions. Government shouldn't be an accomplice to obesity. But it has to be wondered how effective such steps will be.

Experiences elsewhere show that kids will eat the foods they like, no matter what. Take Britain's school system. A few years back, it went to more-nutritious menus. The reaction? About 400,000 British students stopped eating the school meals, instead buying food in nearby shops.

Outraged, education bureaucrats demanded that students stay in the school buildings all day so they'd have to eat the healthier meals. That was also a failure: It seems there is no end to the strategies hungry kids can design to sneak out of school when really pressed.

In Canada, a ban on junk food at a high school in Winnipeg had a similar result. It created a black market, with its own Facebook page to facilitate the illicit trade in cinnamon buns, candy bars, soda and other proscribed goodies.

Swapping junk food for tasty food that's also healthful can be done, but it takes work. Several federal agencies have teamed up to launch the "Make It Happen!" program to improve school food offerings.

The program cites as one success story the changes at Westlake Middle School in Thornton, Colo., where administrators realized students, instead of buying a lunch, were buying several a la carte snacks. The school conducted focus groups to find out what healthy snacks students would go for. As a result, a policy was developed that put limits on the snacks available and required students to purchase a lunch before they could order a snack.

A fruit and vegetable bar was added, and the USDA's "Eat Smart, Play Hard" campaign visibly encouraged kids to stay active.

So government can help, but bureaucrats can't force people to eat government-approved food. It's up to students themselves, and families, to develop healthy habits. The notion that government can make people slim and healthy is unrealistic, but it might be able to at least cease facilitating fat.

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