David Ludwig, director of Optimal Weight for Life Program at Children's Hospital in Boston, said parents must take control within the home. His suggestions:

1.      Stock up on good food
Fill your house with foods that are both delicious & nutritious (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, fish, lean protein, reduced-fat dairy products) & don't bring home junk food (cookies, cakes, sweetened cereals & sugary drinks).

2.      Make sweets a treat
Save treats for special occasions. You don't have to give up sweets entirely, but go out for them instead of having them at home.

3.      Ditch the drive-through
Avoid fast food. A study showed overweight teens consume about 400 more calories on a day when they consume fast food compared with a day in which they don't.

4.      Turn off the TV
Make physical activity the focus of the home instead of television. No TV in the kitchen or bedrooms.

5.      Equip for exercise
Give children the basic tools to be active: jump ropes, balls, Frisbees.

6.      Shake it!
Encourage them to dance, an excellent activity. When they are having fun, they are not thinking about it as exercise.