The rising incidence of type 2 diabetes, once called adult-onset diabetes, in young people is just one aspect of the obesity epidemic plaguing the United States. Unfortunately, both diabetes and obesity spell heart trouble, even for kids. The good news is that damage to arteries is reversible if children just change their behaviors. Have your child adopt a weight loss and exercise program. The exercise can be anything they can do in half-hour segments: hula hoping, skipping rope, jazz dancing, karate or a combination. Heart-healthy diet On the diet side, there are four simple rules: Get rid of all drinks with sugar (that means no juice, no sports drinks, no soda except diet soda and no milk except skim milk). All snacks between meals have to be raw fruit, raw vegetables or air-popped popcorn. At mealtime, portions of meat and starch need to be cut by 25 percent (two pieces of toast becomes one-and-a-half). Vegetables and salad fill in any gaps. No eating in front of the television. The combination of sitting still and eating is the worst thing a child can do.