When Murrieta high school students return from winter break, they'll notice that soda pop will no longer be an item on their school menu.

At Margarita Middle School in Temecula, candy bars and other sweets have already been replaced with fruit cups and trail mix.

At Freedom Crest Elementary in Menifee, scores of students arrive early for school and run laps before the first bell rings.

The efforts are a sure sign that a state and federal movement to fight childhood obesity is making headway locally, as nearly every school in Southwest County has a similar story of health, fitness and nutrition emerging on its campus.

Joleen Buxbaum, a physical education specialist at Tony Tobin Elementary School in Temecula, said there is a trend toward making schools health-conscious. Some of that is to balance what's going on at home, she said.

"I feel our biggest problem is our go-go-go lives that leave us little time to actually cook a well-balanced meal," she said. "We choose foods that are quick and easy and much of the time those foods are not the healthiest ones. I am guilty of it myself."

She said she believes that teachers, parents and school officials are on the same page when it comes to helping children stay healthy at school.

To entice students to exercise and learn about different ways to stay active, Buxbaum created a before-school running club as well as a weekly after-school fitness club in which students can partake in a variety of activities each week, from juggling to cardio-kickboxing.

"Childhood obesity is being looked at as the new epidemic," said Buxbaum, who attended a conference on the subject last spring. "I guess the big news now is today's generation of children will actually have a shorter lifespan than their parents."

Citing childhood obesity as the "silent epidemic" facing the state's students, California schools chief Jack O'Connell last month kicked off the third annual Superintendents' Challenge, which encourages school officials to challenge students to eat right and exercise more.

O'Connell made the comments while announcing the 2005 results of an annual statewide physical education test that tested more than 1.3 million students in grades five, seven and nine. The results found that many students are too slow, fat or weak for their age group.

The test measures cardiovascular endurance, body fat, abdominal strength and endurance, trunk strength and flexibility, upper body strength and endurance, and overall flexibility.

Statewide, this year's test found that just 25 percent of fifth-graders achieved fitness standards for all six of the test's measurements, the same percentage as last year. Just 29 percent of seventh-graders and 27 percent of ninth-grade students achieved the performance goals for the six areas.

Southwest County's results fared better than the state's averages, but still the region's results were all over the chart.

Recently, the Murrieta Valley Unified School District board of trustees reviewed its district's results. Its officials said an analysis found that students who met the minimum fitness levels in three or more of the six categories showed the greatest gains in academic achievement.

"Studies show that the better shape someone is in, the better they are able to perform academically," said Rail Ranch Elementary School teacher Jack Mitchell, who talked to the board about his school's fitness program.

"Our school was one of the better schools in the state," Mitchell said of Rail Ranch's fitness results. "We have a structured PE program. We pretty much hit the state mandate of 200 minutes every two weeks. One day, they'll practice running to get ready for the mile. The other day, they'll do calisthenics. Another day, it's games."

While teachers get students active through PE classes and before and after school fitness clubs, efforts to watch and control what the youths are eating are also prevalent on campuses.

Lawmakers made California the first state in the nation to ban the sale of soft drinks in middle and elementary schools two years ago.

Under legislation signed in September by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, high school students beginning in July 2007 will only by allowed to buy water, milk and some fruit and sport drinks that have limited sweeteners.

The governor also signed another bill that will set new nutritional standards for vending-machine snacks and require more fruits and vegetables in meal planning. It also takes effect July 2007.

"California is facing an obesity epidemic. Over the past decade, Californians have gained 360 million pounds," Schwarzenegger had said. "And more and more, children are becoming part of the problem."

Local schools are already gearing up for the new laws, as Murrieta high schools are axing sodas and some campuses are changing what's sold in vending machines and campus stores.

"This year, to comply with state department of education guidelines and to help kids make healthier choices, we eliminated candy (in the parent-student-teacher campus store)," said Barbara Burkett, a PTA mom for Margarita Middle School.

"We conducted a student survey and, based on that feedback, now offer an assortment of puddings, fruit cups, reduced-fat crackers, trail mix and granola items," she added. "Frankly, student response to the healthier choices was lukewarm at first, but business continues to pick up. That just goes to show that if you sell it, they will eat it."

Student Andrew Barnett, 18, Vista Murrieta High School's senior class president, said he applauds the efforts, but doesn't think they'll have much of an effect.

"If someone really wants soda or candy, they are just going to bring it," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact staff writer Jennifer Kabbany at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2625, or jkabbany@californian.com.