One out of every four children in New York State is obese.

The Governor wants these young people to lose weight and keep others from gaining pounds.

Action News Reporter Julianne Sweeney tells us how some schools are ready to help.

Soon, junk food may not be welcome at lunch tables in New York State schools.

"The timing is perfect, we're ripe for the change." says Mary McFadden of the Broome County Health Department.

Broome-Tioga BOCES says its ready for the junk food ban proposed by Governor Paterson.

Each of its school districts have wellness programs in place.

Including Johnson City.

Students at its intermediate school get healthy snacks delivered to their classrooms each morning.

"It's trying to build the relationship with fresh foods and vegetables for the future, so they can choose to make healthy selections opposed to cookies, crackers, cupcakes." says Patrick Walsh of the Johnson City Central School District.

Paterson says children diagnosed with obesity have blood vessels similar to 45-year-old adults.

Obesity can cause serious health problems like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

"It's really frightening not so much in the short-term even, but in the long-term, what that means for their health." says Registered Dietician Molly Morgan.

New York spends $6.1 billion each year to treat obesity-related health problems.

Paterson wants to reign in that spending and make sure New York has a healthier future.

"We can't make it difficult, we can't make it hard, And when we have the help of administration behind us, it makes our lives as public health officials much easier." says McFadden.

Districts are pushing for education to go along with the ban.

So children understand why junk food is disappearing from cafeterias.

The proposal is part of Paterson's "Healthy Food-Healthy Community" initiative.

He's also looking to ban all trans fats and tax sugary drinks and non-diet sodas.

Plus, require chain restaurant to post cholesterol counts.