Good news! As parents, we can have a direct and lasting impact on our children's health. By practicing healthy behaviors and making good lifestyle choices, we can help our kids do the same.

An easy habit to adopt is the 5-2-1-0 daily standard:


It's a simple, easy-to-follow formula that leads directly to good nutrition and better physical fitness.

• Parents can and should influence their children's eating habits and activity level.


• Make it easier for your children to make good decisions by keeping healthy food choices available, and by not keeping unhealthy foods in your home.


• Children like to be independent and choose what they eat. By offering them a variety of vegetables, fruits and low-fat snacks, it will be easier to encourage healthy eating habits.


• Stock your fridge with lean meats and low-fat dairy products.


• Stay away from soft drinks. They're full of sugar, caffeine and phosphorus, an element that can deplete our bones' calcium and increase the risk of osteoporosis.


• Don't use food as a reward!


• It's unrealistic to expect your kids to eat healthy 100% of the time, so try to save the sweet treats for special occasions.

• Take charge and limit the total time your children spend watching TV, playing video games and using the computer (for reasons other than homework) to no more than 2 hours a day.


• Be physically active as a family; there are lots of things you can do together.


• Walk around your neighborhood for 30 minutes every day.


• Take a trip to the local park.


• Join your community gym or recreation center and play basketball or tennis, or go for a swim.


• Encourage your kids to try new activities they're interested in.

To reinforce your family's healthy new habits, create a weekly reward for eating right and being more active, but remember, don't use food as a reward!