(ARA) - Health experts estimate that 9 million U.S. children older than 6 are obese, which puts nearly one in five American kids at risk for diabetes, heart disease and a host of other health problems. This issue is not just impacting families but also educators and administrators as school districts across the country are taking up the challenge to remove soft drinks and candy machines from our nation's schools. And, teachers are increasingly becoming the first line of offense in educating students about health and nutrition for life.

Teachers have a unique ally to ensure these important life lessons are taught and reinforced with students in a hands-on, interactive way - health and nutrition field trips. The Field Trip Factory, a privately owned firm based in Chicago, has partnered with more than 2,600 retailers across the country this year, including Albertsons, Lowes Foods, Copps, Fry's, Giant Eagle, Pick N Save, HEB, Meijer, Rainbow Foods and Shaw's to offer a series of experience-based field trips that reinforce the nutrition and healthy lifestyle education curricula taught in schools.

Students as young as preschool-age are learning about the Food Pyramid, how to make healthy choices and the benefits of eating smart and exercising. Teachers like Kristi Beckett of Holly Springs, N.C., say supplementing classroom materials with experience-based field trips makes a huge impact. She took a class of first graders on a field trip to a local supermarket, and immediately noticed a difference in their behavior towards food. "My students are bringing healthier snacks. They are more aware of what they eat, and they bring water more often as a drink (rather than juice)."

Elizabeth McGaha of High Point, N.C., took her pre-K class on a similar trip. "My students are now aware that they like snacks other than sweets. They are also more aware of healthy choices for meals and of sugar content in things other than the obvious candy and cookies," she says.

In September 2005, Field Trip Factory kicked off a behavioral study with educators who have signed up for their nutrition education field trips to understand their impact on students. Teachers were asked to monitor their students' behavior as it relates to healthy living and nutrition before the trip, then to fill out a survey two weeks later to discuss how the students' behavior had changed.

Among the initial findings: 75 percent of the kids who have gone on nutrition-based field trips choose milk more often, 69 percent drink water more often, 65 percent have started bringing healthier snacks to school, 61 percent choose healthier cafeteria lunches and 59 percent bring healthier bag lunches to school. Final conclusions will be published later this year.

Susan Singer, president of Field Trip Factory, is not surprised with the positive impact trips are having on children's behavior. "Numerous studies have shown that the most effective way to influence decisions, particularly in young children, is through example. If they're not learning how to eat right and follow a healthy lifestyle at home, they need to learn it somewhere. Why not at their local grocery store, the place they will likely one day shop for food themselves."

To learn more about how your child's teacher can take advantage of the Field Trip Factory's free experience-based field trips, log on to www.fieldtripfactory.com and type in your zip code to find out which programs are available in your community. If you don't have Internet access, call (800) 987-6409 for more information.