When its television screens go blank on Saturday, the Nickelodeon cable network is advising its viewers not to fiddle with the buttons -- but to go outside and play.

The three hours of dead air the children's network will begin broadcasting at noon (EDT/PDT) is part of its fourth annual world wide day of play, an encouragement to kids to get outside and work on getting in shape.

Later that day, any kids who have gotten the exercise bug might tune into the network's "Let's Just Play Go Healthy Challenge" (6 p.m. EDT/PDT) and compare what they did with other kids whose exercise regimens have been spotlighted on the show.

I think it's great that Nickelodeon is taking part in such an important cause. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now estimate that approximately 19 percent of children (ages 6-11) and 17 percent of adolescents (ages 12-19) are considered overweight. And then, there's the future: Researchers predict that nearly half the children in North America will be overweight by 2010. An alarming 80 percent of these children will likely be overweight as adults, placing them at a higher risk of developing health problems like high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes.

To learn more about combating child obesity CLICK HERE!

SOURCE: CNN