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Designate active chores such as yard work, taking out the trash and

walking the dog, all of which will also help teach your child

responsibility.

-- American children watch an average of three hours of television every

day. Limit such sedentary activities to help keep kids on their feet

and prevent inactive lifestyles.

Teach Your Children to Eat Right

-- Studies show that children who share family meals are more likely to do

well in school, less likely to smoke, and tend to eat more fruits and

vegetables.

-- Children are also more likely to eat what they help prepare. Give your

child tasks such as measuring, mixing or setting the table.

-- Desserts, pizza and snacks constitute one third of American children's

diets. Encourage your kids to eat a variety of foods to ensure they

consume the nutrients they need. If your child is a picky eater, make

food fun: cut apples into shapes with cookie cutters or serve carrots

with peanut butter.

-- Approximately 80 percent of American children do not eat the

recommended five or more servings of fruit and vegetables per day.

These nutrient-rich foods provide children with essential vitamins and

minerals at a critical time of growth. Aim for two cups of fruit and

two and a half cups of vegetables per day. Try basing meals around

vegetables, then serve fruit as dessert.

-- The number of overweight children has more than doubled in the past

three decades, resulting in a higher risk for diabetes, heart disease

and certain cancers. Along with exercise and appropriate portions,

proper food choices - such as more whole grains - can help reduce your

child's risk of type 2 diabetes, a disease that the U.S. Department of

Health calls the "first consequence" of the obesity epidemic.

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