Eating Right
Proper nutrition is essential to your child's health. It can help prevent many medical problems including weight problems, weak bones, and diabetes. A healthy diet will also ensure that your child physically grows to his or her full potential.

Your child looks up to you, so make sure to set a good example. Healthy eating habits and regular exercise should be a regular part of your entire family's life. It is much easier if everyone in the house follows the same guidelines than if your child has to manage alone. Buy low-calorie and low-fat meals, snacks and desserts, low fat or skim milk and diet drinks. Avoid buying high-calorie desserts or snacks such as snack chips, regular soft drinks or regular ice cream.

For optimum health, help your children:

• Eat a variety of foods.
• Eat plenty of grain products, vegetables and fruits.
• Limit fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.
• Limit sugars and salt.
• Get enough calcium and iron to meet their growing body's requirements.
• Get plenty of physical activity.

The Food Guide Pyramid was designed by the US Department of Agriculture to promote healthy nutrition in children over two years of age. It is meant to be a general guide to daily food choices. The main emphasis of the Food Guide Pyramid is on the five major food groups, all of which are required for good health. It also emphasizes that foods that include a lot of fats, oils and sweets should be used very sparingly. For more information, visit www.mypyramid.gov.

Exercise Tips
Exercise keeps you fit, boosts your energy level, and gives you an overall sense of well-being. Make time for it every day.

• Make time for exercise every day and make it fun! Go to the park, ride your bike, turn on some music and dance, or get your friends together for a ball game.
• Try a new sport.
• Turn off the TV. Step away from the video game. Do something active instead.
• Make healthy food choices to ensure you have enough energy when you exercise.
• Be nice to yoursef. Don't compare yourself to others. Remember that all of your peers are worried about how they look and how they fit in, too.