With the number of obese children in Lynn on the rise, parents and city officials gathered at the Ford School last Wednesday to educate children on the importance of healthy eating.Sponsored by the Highlands Coalition, the event featured a health fair, complete with flu shots, blood pressure checks and an array of healthy treats to snack on.Pleased with the turnout of nearly 600 people, Ford Principal Claire Crane said, “I feel like the parents really care, but we still have to work at this,” she said. “We’re teaching kids about healthy eating in school and about the value of eating vegetables and that sugar is not good for them.”According to figures from the Department of Public Health in 2008-2009, Crane said district-wide, there were 39.9 percent of children in the Lynn schools listed as overweight or obese. Even more alarming, are the 2009-2010 numbers, showing 32 percent of female and 35 percent of male first graders at the Ford being overweight or obese.”The number are going up, so this is definitely an issue,” she said. “I’ve been here (at the Ford) since 1989 and back then we didn’t have as many kids with obesity, asthma or diabetes. The increase is alarming when you see where it’s going.”At the event, an array of food was offered to those who attended, including vegetables from the Food Project, soup, salsa, tacos, collards, mint tea, salads and other items. Despite the healthy foods, students still requested pizza.”They’ll get used to it,” Crane quipped. “And the (school’s) garden is really helpful to get kids into the food. When I asked some of the kids what they thought of the food, they said, oh, this is pretty good, so it’s going to take a little while.”Aside from the food, numerous booths were set up, offering a peak into portion control, the food pyramid and information for parents regarding picky eaters. One item of interest at the Lynn Community Health Center booth, was a replica of a clogged artery versus a healthy artery. Students paused at the table in awe of what each artery looked like and the impact of what not eating well does to the body over time.Also of interest, was a “portion distortion” flyer, which pointed out that the correct serving of meat is three ounces, which breaks down to roughly the size of a deck of cards.