Fivewinks.

Take New York City: The city’s Health Department took a multifaceted approach to curbing obesity, focusing on habits instead of looks and implementing programs that boost healthy foods, eliminate unhealthy ones, and increase physical activity in schools. In addition to the aforementioned soda ads (which stigmatize products rather than people), NYC officials introduced healthier school lunches, placed calorie and sugar restrictions on school vending machine items, and even limited bake sales. The city also trained more than 4,000 elementary-school teachers on how to incorporate exercise breaks into the classroom.

The result? A month ago, the city’s Health Department announced an unprecedented 5.5 percent drop in the number of obese children over the past five years. That decrease may be small, but it’s significant—it’s the first time in decades that the city’s child-obesity rates have not increased, never mind an actual decrease.