If we as parents were to receive a report card for keeping our children healthy, many of us would get failing grades. Currently, nearly one-third of kids between the ages of 2 and 19 are overweight or obese.
Carrying extra weight is hard on a child's body and mind. It raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, excess fat in the liver and orthopedic problems. Plus there's the psychological effect: Kids simply want to fit in and need their peers' acceptance.
To improve your report card:
Clean up your own act.
Children learn what they live, and you're the teacher. A family that eats healthfully and exercises together can grow old and be healthy together.
Retool how you cook.
Emphasize fruits and vegetables, lean cuts of meat and low-fat dairy.
Avoid 'portion distortion.'
It's not only what your kids eat, but how much they eat that counts. Don't push extra helpings. Teach them to eat until they're satisfied, not uncomfortably full.
Limit sedentary downtime.
Our bodies (not just our thumbs) are made for movement. Play catch, take a walk or go for a swim. The options are limitless.
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