Fighting childhood obesity is a growing concern for schools around the area. The Watertown School District has received several awards for its fitness programs. But school leaders are now finding they have to "up their game". Jefferson Elementary School in Watertown has earned the Presidential Fitness Award every year since 1999. More than a dozen P.E. classes are held there every day. But recently the school fitness instructor learned exercise isn't enough.

Work-outs are a common sight around Jefferson Elementary. You'll see kids working on their strength, flexibility and cardio. Gary Maxwell is the instructor for many of the P.E. classes. He tells KSFY he wasn't surprised when recent evaluations of the students showed their fitness and cardiovascular levels were way up. But he was surprised to learn that the kids' body fat was way up too. Maxwell says as a result, his fitness classes are now putting a major focus on nutrition. He tells KSFY even if the kids are getting good exercise at school, if they go home and eat junk food, it will still take a toll.

Maxwell hopes by putting new emphasis on eating healthy and getting exercise, he'll see a different outcome during the students' next evaluations. Maxwell says it's very important that parents put the emphasis on nutrition as well. If kids see mom and dad making good choices at home, they're more likely to do it on their own. As part of their Phys-Ed classes, students at Jefferson Elementary are learning how to read labels and figure out what's healthy to eat, before they put it in their mouths.