Today in the U.S., more kids today than ever before are overweight or obese.

In fact, the numbers of obese children have doubled since 1980. So why are kids today more likely than their parents to tip the scales?

One obvious scapegoat is television. Most kids spend lots of time in front of the tube (or computer screens and video games). This sedentary activity means that kids burn less calories than if they were out playing soccer or walking the dog. Secondly, kids are bombarded with TV commercials for unhealthy foods, which encourages them to eat more calorie-dense, high-fat and high-sugar foods that contribute to weight gain.

Another reason that kids get less exercise than previous generations did is that they (and we, as a convenience-based society) walk less to get from Point A to B than in the past. We drive even short distances, perhaps to save time or due to a lack of sidewalks, or because there’s no safe route to our destinations. Sometimes we’re just lazy.

It’s clear that parents, children and society at large need to work together to prevent and treat this fat epidemic.

Keeping kids healthy

Here are some tips to help keep kids healthy:

• Emphasize good health, not weight loss. Considering the unrealistic images of the ideal body incessantly flashing before kids’ eyes, as well as the prevalence of eating disorders and dieting in school-age kids, it’s important to emphasize eating well and exercising in order to be healthy, not to lose weight. School-age children shouldn’t be on diets (except in extreme circumstances, under a doctor’s guidance).
• Limit screen time. Limit total screen time (TV, video game and computer time) to two hours a day. Consider removing TVs from the bedrooms in your house, and turn off the tube during meals.
• Be a good role model. Kids follow their parents’ leads, so don’t just tell them to eat healthfully and exercise - show them by doing. Think about what you put in your mouth and how you spend your leisure time and make adjustments - not just for their health, but also for your own.
• Offer food choices and participation. Give kids choices when it comes to eating by offering a variety of healthy foods. Focus on moderation, not "good" or "bad" foods, and include kids in meal decisions. If they don’t like sandwiches, but will eat tuna or something else on its own, pack that in their lunches instead.
• Limit portion sizes. It’s easy to lose sight of what constitutes a portion in this era of giant servings. Read labels to determine portion size. For example, three-quarters of a cup - not one-and-a-half cups - of cereal is often considered a portion. Refrain from piling heaps of food on kids’ plates. Instead, if they ask for seconds, give them more.
• Don't make dessert the goal. Dessert doesn’t always have to follow meals. Granted, rewarding kids for good deeds (cleaning their rooms or getting good grades) with food is so ingrained that it’s tough to overcome. Even so, try to keep from linking food treats to a job well done.
• Get kids moving. Increasing exercise is crucial. Encourage activities that will get them moving and keep them from plopping down in front of the TV.
• Make exercise a family affair. Get the whole family involved in exercise together. Toss a ball in the backyard, check out tennis lessons offered through a community recreation program, take a canoe trip, walk the dog together, enter a 5-K fun run or walk or pick up a trail book and head out for family hikes on weekends. After all, physical activity habits established in childhood tend to continue into adulthood.