Who knew that fidgeting could be the antidote to fat? Parents should tuck that one away the next time junior can't sit still for a second. And run, don't walk, to the nearest ice cream parlor and pace back and forth while you're waiting to be served.

One of the latest studies about the prevailing obesity problem in the United States concludes that while diet and exercise are clearly important in weight control, fidgeting, restlessness and everyday pacing may actually play a bigger role in who's fat or thin.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., monitored subjects who all described themselves as "couch potatoes." Some were thin and some were mildly overweight.

The test subjects wore special undergarments that monitored their every movement as well as posture changes every half-second, 24 hours a day for 10 days. The results showed couch potatoes who fidgeted were thinner than those who didn't, even with varying diets that had participants being under and overfed at various intervals. The research added significant data to a field of study scientists call non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, which apparently explains why some people can snack without gaining weight and others can't.

"Our study shows that the calories that people burn in their everyday activities are far, far more important in obesity than we previously imagined," said Mayo Clinic's Dr. James Levine, a study leader. The data showed how even routine movements like sitting, standing, walking and talking gave the get-up-and-goers a distinct advantage over those who tend to conserve their movements.

Researchers surmise that if couch potatoes could emulate those who are constantly getting off the couch to get a snack, they might be able to match their weight loss.

It's unclear whether the tendency to fidget is genetic, due to brain chemistry or learned, added Dr. Levine, but he believes the answer lies in the level of physical activity encouraged at an early age. Which brings us back to junior, whose nonstop activity burns plenty of calories without the tyke ever setting foot in a gym. That's precisely the point of the Mayo study, isn't it?