Will your kids be fit or fat?

Childhood obesity is a major problem in America. And it's going to get even worse unless we all get involved right away. If you have kids, there are several steps you can take to help them develop good eating and exercise habits. Here's a useful article with some very practical tips for raising fit kids...

(MSN Fitness) - Six ways to mold your child's future shape.

Most of us know by now that obesity in adults is a growing problem, but less attention has been paid to the expanding waistlines of the younger generation. According to a study conducted by Weight Watchers International Inc. and the American Health Foundation, 25% of American children are now officially overweight, and the youngest are especially at risk. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) found that 14% of six- to 11-year-olds weighed more than they should, as did 12% of 12- to 17-year-olds. These extra pounds are more than just a passing phase; another ADA study suggests that half of obese adolescents will become fat adults.

"Obesity among children is increasing at an alarming rate, and the health consequences are very severe," confirms Karen Miller-Kovach, R.D., chief scientist for Weight Watchers, who cites that the dramatic increase in Type II diabetes in teenagers is just one of the serious medical problems linked to the trend.

What's behind the growing number of chubby children? Simply, "lack of exercise accounts for more than 50% of the problem," says Miller-Kovach. And despite the popular belief that fast food is at the root of our collective portliness, she adds, just 30% of the problem is due to overeating or choosing the wrong types of foods. Instead, experts point to cutbacks in school physical education programs, less time spent outdoors and more time playing video games or sitting in front of a computer, and even the rise in street crime, which makes parents uneasy about letting kids do things such as ride their bikes around the block.

So what can we do to help kids stay fit for the long haul, without making them anxious or weight-obsessed? There's no one-size-fits-all answer, says Miller-Kovach, but there are a few basic guidelines. Monitoring your child's every bite, for instance, is a tactic that's likely to backfire. "And you absolutely do not want to create a closet eater," she continues, which can happen when parents are overbearing about eating.

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