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Mario Joaquin picks out limes in the produce department at Kovac’s Affiliated Super Foods. Rises in food and gas prices have caused people like Mr. Joaquin to make sacrifices.

Donna Wilson looks at the price of apples and cauliflower at the grocery store and sees one thing: the worsening of an already alarming childhood obesity problem.

“Grapes are $7 a pound now. In a community where 54 percent of the children’s families are eligible for free and reduced lunch prices, this is a huge problem,” said Ms. Wilson, youth health coordinator for Heartland Health.

Ms. Wilson and other local health and education leaders fear soaring food prices force some to forgo the healthier, more expensive items and bulk up on the bad-for-you, cheaper products.

The food price issue makes the childhood obesity facts even more upsetting.

Statewide and locally, about one in four children are either at risk of becoming overweight or are overweight, meaning their BMI (body mass index) exceeds what’s considered healthy.

As children grow older, so do their waistlines. About 22 percent of St. Joseph School District fourth-graders are at an unhealthy weight, and by the time they hit sixth grade, the rate increases to about 35 percent.

Local leaders will target this issue with a program for fourth-graders in four school district elementary schools this fall. And they’ll tackle the food-price issue in most aspects of the program.

They’ll bring in parents for a cooking class on eating healthfully with a limited budget, teach students about portion control and emphasize family exercise.

With these food prices, Ms. Wilson knows eating more healthful foods might not be affordable, so she at least wants children to eat less of the bad foods.

“If you’re eating spaghetti, you don’t need to eat a whole plate; a half plate of spaghetti is plenty,” Ms. Wilson said.

Being overweight puts someone at a higher risk for health problems.

“We’re having younger and younger patients with conditions like sleep apnea and hypertension. These should be adult issues, not child issues,” she said. “We’ve got to do something.”

Those shopping at Kovac’s grocery store on Frederick Avenue last week felt the price pinch.

The 4- and 8-year-olds Geri Mignery baby-sits love watermelon and grapes. She used to always have them on hand for the girls. That’s changed. “I looked at the price of them in the aisle and walked off,” Ms. Mignery said.

Marcia Christopher, who has a 5-year-old, and Mario Joaquin never bought fruits and vegetables in the first place.

“My son just eats whatever he wants, usually pizza or a TV dinner,” Ms. Christopher said.

But gas prices and price hikes all around have forced the couple to give up something they used to view as necessary: their vehicle.

They get rides from friends and walk.

“We just couldn’t do it anymore,” Ms. Christopher said.

Nancy Hull can be reached at nancyhull@npgco.com.