by Susan J. Campbell

Created on: January 05, 2009

It is unfortunate that in our modern society, we have robbed ourselves of "forced exercise" and instead live sedentary lifestyles. Our own bad habits have filtered through to our children and when we fail to get up and get active, so too do our loved ones.

Weight problems can arise in a child in a very young age and don't always point to a lack of activity. For some, it can be as simple as the genes they were blessed with that makes keeping a healthy weight a challenge. For others, it can be a choice of diet and in our convenience-craving society, we often sacrifice "healthy" for "fast".

Even if we are not in a hurry, we are often easily duped into thinking something is healthy. For instance, fruit juice that is targeted at parents of small children encourages parents to believe they are giving their child a healthy drink that provides the vitamins they need for proper development. Instead, these drinks are often full of unnecessary sugar and provide very little nutritional benefits.

There is a common saying among those women who have been on or remain on the diet roller coaster: "Don't drink your calories!" The same can be true for a toddler. No matter what your age, there is a set amount of calories that are appropriate for you to maintain a healthy weight. If you have to give up some of those calories to a drink, you will eat more to compensate for the sustainable calories you need. The same is true for a toddler.

This is not to say that a toddler should be put on a "Diet", but should instead learn healthy eating habits at a young age that he or she can carry into adolescence and adulthood. Opting to munch on fresh veggies to satisfy the hunger and the "crunch" will go a long way in curbing bad habits over time.

It is also important for toddlers to get regular activity. Even if your family lives in a climate where cold weather is a part of every day life, the toddler can still be active. Try going for walks, pushing a toy lawn mower around the back yard, incorporate activities inside that include movement.

Most importantly, make the activities fun. No one enjoys activities that are forced and doing so will only make it harder to continue. Toddlers generally will not fight activity and seek to be as wound up as possible. Let them by teaching them how to channel energy into healthy activities. By successfully doing so, weight won't even be an issue.

Learn more about this author, Susan J. Campbell.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.