The school cafeteria has an important role in reinforcing health messages from the classroom and home. Many school cafeterias are now providing healthier foods than in the past, but some are only getting worse, serving more high-sugar, high-fat foods than ever before. Contact your school cafeteria to see if they are following the dietary guidelines of low-fat, low-sugar and high-fiber foods. If not, contact the school parent group or school principal to encourage a healthy change.

Many children (and adults) watch more than 20 hours of TV per week. The more TV watched, the more likely a child is of becoming overweight. Watching TV reduces the amount of time a child can spend exercising and playing. Furthermore, the food advertisements on TV encourage the consumption of fatty snacks and fast-foods. Reading the TV guide and agreeing on a limited number of programs to be viewed that day or week is a good strategy for reducing TV time. Health experts recommend limiting viewing to one hour per day or just a few hours on the weekend.

Though they might often feel otherwise, parents who spend time with their children are their number one lifestyle educators. Even if children don’t always listen to their parents, they will follow their examples, knowingly and unknowingly. Remember how much influence you have over your children, and keep these pieces of advice in mind:

• Children are great imitators and so it makes sense that adults should always set a healthy example. You cannot expect a child to eat well and exercise if their parents are couch potatoes! Make healthy eating and weight control a family affair.
  
  
•  An overweight child or teenager needs all the support and encouragement that parents and grandparents can give. Constantly affirm your child and tell him or her that their efforts are worthwhile.
  
  
• Avoid the temptation of high-fat and sugar snack foods by not having them in the house. Keep the fruit bowl well stocked instead.
  
  
• Provide cool water to satisfy thirst. Regular soft drinks and flavored mineral waters provide “empty calories”. Low-calorie soft drinks are also a better choice, but still need to be limited.
  
  
• Encourage your kids to eat breakfast. A quick calorie-controlled cereal with low-fat milk and fruit will help morning concentration at school. Not eating breakfast usually results in high-calorie snacks at break-times and lunch.
  
  
• Set positive, realistic goals together. For example, instead of focusing on dropping a certain number of pounds, set the sights on riding a bike or swimming for 20 minutes a day.
  
  
• Don't prepare separate meals for an overweight child. This will only enhance the feeling of being different and might also be seen as a type of punishment. Healthy meals should be enjoyed by the entire family. It is only necessary to control the quantities eaten by the overweight child.
  
  
• Teenagers demand their independence and usually like to have some control over their food choices. Be careful that your advice and encouragement does not become “nagging” which will only encourage them in the opposite direction.