With childhood obesity on the rise in the United States, Carbon County is hoping to educate children on how to make better lifestyle choices that will curb this rising trend.

On Thursday, the county commissioners voted to declare May 8 as county Pop-out Day, a day to substitute sugary drinks such as soda, sports drinks and juices for water.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said that childhood obesity is a “very serious problem.”

In the proclamation, it states, “One out of every five children in the United States is obese or at the risk of becoming obese. Obesity is now proven to be a direct cause of health-related diseases and costs business and industry millions of dollars each year.

“Data has proven that there is a direct relationship between increased soft drink consumption, inactivity and overweight children. It is further understood that high sugar beverages provide limited nutritional value and should be consumed on a limited basis as per the food guide pyramid. There are other beverages available that offer nutritional advantages such as water, 100 percent fruit juices and milk.”

Georgia Farrow, 4-H program assistant from the Penn State Extension, accepted the proclamation and handed out bottles of water. She will now take the proclamation to Weatherly Area School District, which participates in Pop-out Day.

Pop-out Day is part of a wellness project created by the Wellness Council.

The school asks students to sign promises to be more aware of the drinks they consume.