1. Breastfeed – Infants who nursed are able to self-regulate their feedings better than those who are bottle-fed, leading to a lower obesity rate within this group.

2. Eat Together as a Family – According to HealthDay , “those who ate three or more meals a week with their families were 12 percent less likely to be overweight than those who ate few or no meals with their families, and 20 percent less likely to eat sweets, fried foods, soda, and other unhealthy foods.”

3. Encourage  Good Eating and Exercise Habits – We need to teach our children the right foods to eat and encourage them to get moving!

4.Get Enough Sleep! – Obese children tend to have shorter sleep periods and more variable sleep patterns than their healthy counterparts who maintain a regular, sustained night’s rest.

5. Be an Example! – If parents eat high-fat, sugary, and salty foods, than their kids are exposed to those foods and are likely to follow suit. In the same way, those parents who eat fruits and vegetables have children who will do just as their parents do- consume more healthy foods. Click here for some kid-friendly and fun snacks.