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When your baby had cute little pudge rolls on his legs, it was adorable. Squeezing his cheeks was nothing short of gleeful. But as your baby grows into a toddler and into an adolescent, it's time to focus on nutrition and eating.

Childhood obesity is on the rise. In the United States, more than 30% of adults are obese, setting a horrific example for children who are following suit. In 2000, 15.3% of 6-11 year-olds and 15.5% of 12-19 year-olds were classified as overweight, with numbers rising every year. Parents need to arm themselves with ways to help prevent their children from falling into this ever-growing problem.

NO DIETING
Cutting calories on occasion is never an option. Teach your children how to eat healthfully every day as a matter of lifestyle. Teaching your children a cycle of "cutting back" to lose weight will teach them restrictive behavior. Their young brains will learn to see the healthy food as a sort of punishment and the sweets and fats that you are restricting as a reward. A viscous cycle ensues.

NO LABELING "BAD" FOODS
From no dieting, comes the idea of no labeling "bad" foods. In a healthy diet, there is room for a cookie, a milkshake or a hamburger. There's no reason to say anything is "bad," for your child and that he shouldn't have it. It is okay; however, to say that your child should only have one because too much sugar can make him have a tummy ache. Use descriptions and specifics. Labeling a food as "bad," makes it taboo and we all know that when something is forbidden, even as adults, we want it more.

Often, if your child's diet is full of natural, good, healthy foods, there will not be a lot of room for "bad" foods anyway. Fruits, like mango, peaches and ripe apples are sweeter than most candies. Bing cherries, raspberries and blueberries are good treats as well and it's pretty hard to find an overweight child who got that way from eating too much fruit.

MODELING HEALTHY BEHAVIOR
Mom and Dad can't push their broccoli aside and eat only tater tots and Mac and cheese for dinner and then expect their kid to eat salmon and rice. Your child watches what you do and looks to you for cues on how to live his life. Make sure you are setting a good example with how you eat. No grazing on unhealthful choices.
The most important part of modeling is that the child should never be set apart from the family as different. He shouldn't be served "special" food, or made to feel ostracized because he has a "weight problem." Everyone should be learning to

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