Children learn about food best by seeing the adults around them eat in a healthy way. Meals should not be a battleground. Keep junk out of the house, offer lots of choices from all the foods in this book, and don't make an issue over food likes and dislikes.

You can involve your children in food preparation and meal planning with activities that are appropriate for their age. This can provide opportunities to learn about food and experiment with new tastes. Keep it fun and sociable.

If weight is a concern, increase physical activity. Large children may be athletically gifted and should be encouraged to participate in sports and do weight training. As with food choices, the example set by parents and other adults will be more important than anything you say. Get active as a family. Hike, bike or swim together. Don't make children feel they should limit the amount of food they eat - just steer them away from "junk" food as much as possible. Kids will eat anything and everything outside the house, so you can only influence what's available at home.

There are no easy solutions to the alarming increase in childhood obesity, type II diabetes and early puberty, but you can make a start by limiting refined carbohydrates in your house, serving lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and other seeds, and getting the whole family involved in active recreation.