Sixty is the new 40, and 50 is the new 30. Those expressions are designed to do little more than make people feel a little better about reaching those age milestones.

Here’s a different twist to those expressions — one that isn’t in the least bit funny: Food has become the new cigarettes of our times and diseases, such as diabetes, are the new normal. At the rate we’re going in this gorge-fest world, children today won’t live to be 60, and 40 will be considered old.

Organizations in the Treasure Valley working to address this problem include St. Luke’s Humphreys Diabetes Center, which is conducting the Treasure Valley Weight Loss Challenge, and Activate Treasure Valley, directed by Anjie Knickrehm of the Boise YMCA — one of the organization’s sponsors.

That group will meet tonight from 6-8 p.m. (check-in is 5:30) at St. Alphonsus’ McCleary Auditorium to view one of a four-part Home Box Office documentary on obesity in America. A panel discussion will follow. Two other events are scheduled — one on Feb. 6 at St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center and another on March 6 at Healthwise in Boise.

Kudos to Activate Treasure Valley for holding seminars and promoting healthy living. There are good reasons for raising awareness. Knickrehm says that the obesity rate for children in the Treasure Valley is about 30 percent, which is alarmingly high. The problem will only get worse unless people take action today.

“Our View” is the editorial position of the Idaho Statesman. It is an unsigned opinion expressing the consensus of the Statesman’s editorial board. To comment on an editorial or suggest a topic, email editorial@idahostatesman.com.