Childhood obesity is epidemic in the U.S., and a local company, Fitness Focus, Inc., has created a groundbreaking tool to help fight the trend. Colorful, creative and fun-to-use, the Magnutracker system encourages children to learn about and practice healthy eating habits. Invented by Lauren Walmer, president of Fitness Focus, Magnutrackers are a magnetic picture food journal that will help parents and kids keep track of their daily food consumption. The system helps kids learn food groups, track what they eat and make better choices.

According to Walmer, the Magnutracker system comprises a magnetic figure piece, one pantry piece, 72 food discs and 12 adhesive magnets for mounting. The food discs are kept on the pantry piece until the food is eaten. When the child eats a food, the food disc is moved from the pantry piece to the figure piece.

Walmer received a bachelor’s degree in human foods and nutrition from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a master’s degree in adult education from Temple University. She worked in primary health care as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon, West Africa, where she did extensive nutritional counseling with pregnant women and young mothers. She is also a studio cycling and group fitness instructor and speaks professionally on fitness and nutrition.

The Magnutracker can be purchased at the Farmstead Farmers Market, in Palmyra, or from website Magnutracker.com. For more information, contact 717-379-2193 or [email protected].