TIPS For keeping off the weight

Medical experts at KidsHealth offer parents these tips for preventing weight problems in children:
Support your child by working toward healthier eating and exercise habits for the entire family.
Eliminate unhealthful foods from your household rather than singling out your child and prohibiting him or her from eating them.
Keep healthful snacks in a place where your child can easily get to them.
Make time to exercise with your child.
Limit TV and computer time for the whole family.
Don't eat in front of the TV.
Avoid talking about weight unless your child initiates a conversation about it.
Limit how often fried and high-fat convenience foods are served.
Don't punish or scold your child about how much he does or doesn't do to get his weight under control. Use positive reinforcement instead.
Make physical activity fun and rewarding.
KidsHealth, a project of the Nemours Foundation, is the largest resource in the country for medically reviewed pediatric information targeted at parents, kids and teens. For more information, visit www.KidsHealth.org.