by Leeanna Haugen

Created on: December 16, 2009

It is hard to avoid theepidemic that is plaguing our society. Childhood obesity has become a serious concern. In 1970, the percentage of children ages six to eleven years of age that were obese was 4.2 %. In 2006, 17% of children ages six to eleven were obese according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. That is a huge number. Parents have to try harder than ever to get their children to eat healthy because of the increasing number of advertisments for food that is lacking in nutrition. So, what can parents do? Listed below are some tips that will help parents when trying to incorporate a healthier diet for their children.

MAKE HEALTHY EATING FUN

Every child wants to grow up big and strong. Educating your child about what each food will do for them and why they should be excited about it is a good way to change their views about healthy eating. When putting that glass of milk in front of them, tell them how strong it will make them. Tell them how their bones love a nice big glass of milk. Here is an example: instead of "drink your milk it is good for you", try "here is a nice big glass of milk to help your bones get strong so you can jump higher while playing  basketball". Apply the scenario to whatever interests your child. When presenting your daughter with a carrots, explain to her how the carrots will help her have better vision so she can see better outside when catching firefles. You don't have to go into details your child won't understand; just make it interesting to your child.

MAKE BETTER CHOICES AT THE SUPERMARKET

The fact of the matter is the parent buys the groceries. Instead of walking down the cookie aisle with your child and having them pick out a treat, walk through the produce section and tell them to pick out their favorite fruit. This will allow them have a say in what they eat while still controlling what they are taking into their body. When offering choices, make sure the choices are all good ones. If the temptation is not in the house, it will decrease the debates. If you only have bananas, yogurt, and applesauce in the house, than you can allow your child to pick out what they want without getting into the issue of what they should and should not be eating.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE

It is going to be hard to teach your child good eating habits if you do not have them yourselves. The saying "actions speak louder than words" couldn't be more true. You could tell your child all day that drinking water is good

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