Dear Parents the Childhood obesity epidemic is on the rise. That's why it's a great idea to start your children on a very sensible nutritional program that balances fitness, family, fun and work.

Why wait and see if your child will acquire diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease...and try to deal with it then. This is what childhood obesity will become if steps are not taken. There is a solution...let me tell you about my approach to the problem.

What you should do is, write a list of all your favorite foods, even if some are high in fat...the ones you really crave; like spaghetti with those huge meat balls or a thick slice of deep-dish cherry pie created with hand-picked sweet fruit, and a tender flaky, handmade crust, topped with butter and a large scoop of double-churned vanilla ice cream.

I'll bet I have your attention now! Have everyone in your family create the same type of list. Take two suggestions from every person in the family, put them in an big hat, and choose one. Make that one meal as healthy as you possibly can.

This teaches your young ones 2 things:

1) That healthy alternatives are attainable, even of the most high fat foods. You know the ones they love.

2) You're creating healthy foods they really like, rather than just telling them to eat all their vegetables. It shows you're thinking about them in family matters. That brings unity to the family.

I call this nutritional equity. As a result, everyone gets a fare share in determining the nutrition for the family. This is one of the best ways in which to fight the epidemic of Childhood obesity! This method can be done one meal a week, or one meal a day as your family has time for. This should be a gradual process...take your time and get pleasure from it.

No one is aware of your youngsters' needs better than you. Be creative! Take the time to notice their interests. You'll be able to easily realize an activity that can produce and maintain weight loss. Take a look at your child's natural athletic talents. What sports will he watch or imitate on TV? These are your clues.

Then it's simple. Look for an activity or sport that matches their desire. Attention Parents! You should participate with them in order for it to work properly. This does not mean you've got to participate constantly. Merely being there and cheering them on is the kind of encouragement that will help them to continue.

This is habit forming and that's specifically what we tend to wish for - our young ones to develop habits they'll use for the rest of their lives.

The childhood obesity epidemic is real. Do you know that there are amazingly powerful methods you can use to help your children maintain a nutritional way of life?What you will need is persistence anda good plan of acction to develop good healthy eating habits!