A leading cancer expert and adviser to Hawai'i's Department of Health pushed the state's teachers yesterday to combat obesity by encouraging students to shun sugar-laden soft drinks and fast food.

Dileep G. Bal also urged schools to make students exercise more.

"The obesity epidemic has to be stemmed with the children," Bal told 400 teachers at a Waikiki meeting. "You guys can do more than the Department of Health in many ways because in the formative years, you have those kids during most of their waking hours."

Bal recently moved from California to Kaua'i to become the county's new health director. He is also serving as a state health adviser.

A former head of the American Cancer Society, Bal had long been chief of the Cancer Control Branch at the California Department of Health Services.

In Sacramento, Bal spearheaded many of California's anti-smoking campaigns.

To improve Hawai'i's health, Bal suggested that the state impose a one-cent tax on every bottle of soda sold to generate revenue for health education.

And he urged schools to resist relying on fast-food companies to sponsor fundraisers.

"The school band uniform isn't worth killing our kids," he said.

Bal cited statistics showing that in 2000, six out of 10 Americans were obese. He added that obesity increases one's chances of getting breast cancer, colon cancer and kidney cancer.

Bal said people need to change their attitudes toward unhealthy foods and exercise as they have done with smoking.

Even the Department of Education isn't immune to a lack of awareness, he said, noting the department gave yesterday's conference a title inspired by the fast-food industry: "Super Sizing Health Education! Supporting Comprehensive Health Education for Every Child!"

Kathy Kawaguchi, assistant superintendent of the office of curriculum instruction and student support, said schools were already doing much of what Bal suggested.

Eugene Kaneshiro, director of the school food services branch, said schools serve meals that meet minimum nutrition standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Board of Education, meanwhile, sharply restricted access to soda starting last year.

Since December, 80 percent of the drinks offered in school vending machines must be healthy options such as water, milk and fruit juice.

But the board stopped short of banning soda after some principals expressed concern that a ban would reduce their revenue.