They are fatter. More have diabetes, autoimmune disorders, allergies, asthma, and attention deficit disorders. They don’t get as much exercise. Bottom line: They are less healthy, as a generation, than their parents and grandparents were. Sad…especially since almost all of this is preventable.

Many parents and those who are responsible for taking care of today’s children are: Confused by nutritional standards, don’t understand how to properly read a food label, feed their children so much restaurant food, and don’t have a clue what type of calories, salt, or fat intake they’re actually getting.

Additionally, the outdoor activities of many children have been drastically cut due to the popularity of computers, video games and television. More children are left unsupervised after school to eat and do as they please, and not even allowed outside for safety reasons.

So, what can we do? Plenty, say the experts. First, start by paying attention to what food you buy and put in your house. Read the labels. Stay away from pre-packaged snacks. Provide fruits, nuts, and whole grain breads. Also provide rules regarding the amount of food they eat after school. Remember they are still going to have dinner.

Nutritionists say the most important thing you can do is keep children’s weight in a normal range. Most of the health issues we are seeing are a direct result of children being overweight and obese. Pediatricians have become so aware of the negative health of this, that it is now a common topic of discussion with parents. Experts stress the importance of taking this to heart. According to a survey of pediatricians, the biggest problem is that too many parents don’t pay attention. They have a million excuses: ‘He’s just big boned.’, ‘It’s genetic, everyone in our family is big.’ These just don’t cut it.
Nutritionally speaking, it’s hard to expect children to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and veggies when the vast majority (86%) of adults don’t meet the minimum 5 servings per day recommendation. Be a role model for your children. Additionally, many adults (over 75%) take a multi-vitamin, but only a few of those give them to their children.

In the world of style, none are more renowned than the French women. When it comes to how they achieve this seemingly effortless chic style, they have a saying: “If it doesn’t hurt a bit, then you aren’t doing it properly.” Perhaps we should apply this philosophy to our children and their diets: “If you aren’t giving it a bit of effort, then you aren’t doing it properly.”