To help your children cultivate a healthy body and a good self-image, always teach by example. Avoid placing so much emphasis on their weight that they begin to equate how much they weigh with how much they are loved. Their environment can be changed so they can move more and eat well. Experts offer these additional tips: 1. Maintain Proper Portion Size. Teach children about proper portion size, and encourage moderation rather than over consumption. Do not insist that your child 'clean the plate'. Avoid using sweet treats as a reward. Vegetables and salads portions should be higher than protein portions. Does your family have five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables daily? Cut back on carbohydrate portions. Do not cook so much food at a time, or if you do want to freeze some for later, put it in the freezer first and serve normal portions for your meal. 2. Encourage Physical Activity. Riding a bike in the city can be dangerous, but what else can your child do to get exercise? Encourage some old fashioned games: going to a playground, hop scotch, skipping rope. Enroll your child in a sport activity; encourage them to participate. If your child doesn't seem to like sports, keep trying, let them know they must pick out at least one sport; they will eventually find one they like. Remember walking, hiking and swimming are sports, too. 1 to 2 hours a day should be dedicated to physical activity and 1 half hour should be fairly rigorous. 3. Limit TV, Computer and Video Games. Sitting in front of a screen sipping sugary drinks and eating fatty foods is a daily fact of life for most American kids. Children 6 and under spend an average of two hours a day using screen media (TV, computers, video games) and the average child watches three hours of TV a day. Higher levels of TV viewing are associated with higher levels of obesity. 4. Breastfeed infants. Breastfeed infants exclusively for at least the first four to six months of life. Research shows that breastfeeding reduces the risk of obesity. Cow's milk and certain formulas do not digest properly in an infant's stomach, thus causing bloating and digestion problems; elimination problems can occur that causes fat to build up in the body. Some formulas have high fructose sugar added - read labels. If your doctor recommends that you put the baby on a formula, ask questions. If you don't get answers, consider changing to a doctor that encourages breastfeeding. Call your local La Leche League, they will assist you to breast feed in any way they can. 5. Eliminate Certain Foods. Use low-fat dairy products. After age 2, kids should drink low-fat milk. Eliminate carbonated beverages and high fructose corn syrup products. Use only 100% fruit juice and limit that to 4 ounces daily for toddlers and 6 to 8 ounces for older children. Cut out candy, chips, yogurt with lots of sugar added (read labels), French fries. In general cut way back on foods that contain over 10 grams of sugar and all fried foods. Some take out Chinese food can contain up to 50 grams of sugar per serving - avoid fast food places, too. Introduce your family to water, get your children accustomed to feeling energized with the vitamins and minerals good drinking water can provide. 6. Get Involved - Develop Healthy habits. Eat family meals with no TV. Eliminate the habit of snacking between meals. As a parent, it is your responsibility to make sure your child eats at meal times. The school usually takes care of lunch. Does your school cafeteria serve healthy food? Get involved in community projects. Do you believe it is a good idea for your child's school to have candy, snack, and soda machines? What does this teach children if only junk food is served in their school? Let's get dried fruit, skim milk, fruit juices and baked rather than fried carbs in the schools - your family involvement could make a difference. 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