Childhood obesity begins in the home. Many parents today want to lay blame on television, McDonalds and game systems for their children being overweight and many to the point of obesity. However, you cannot blame the television, a fast food restaurant, or Sony for your child being overweight. The only person you can really blame is yourself.

You must learn what can be done to prevent obesity and start making changes in the way you eat at home and the amount of time you and your children sit on the couch.

What type of eating environment do you have at home? Do you allow your child to sit in front of the television or his game system with a big bag of potato chips and a 2-liter bottle of soda? If so, then you are watching your child develop unhealthy eating habits that can cause obesity.

How many times do you take your child to fast food restaurants? Your kids cannot drive themselves to McDonalds and order a Big Mac. If you have the desire to have a healthy child, then you must first show them how to eat healthy by eating healthy yourself. Plan healthy meals; only allow food, snacks, and drinks at the table, not in front of TV or in their rooms. If you confine the areas, they can eat to the dining room table or kitchen table the desire to snack on junk food will be pretty much eliminated since they cannot munch out while watching cartoons. If you allow foods other areas of the house, then be specific about what types of food they eat in front of the TV. As examples: Chocolate is a no no, it can stain the couch and carpet Ice cream is a no no, it can also stain Potato chips is a no no, they crumble and make a mess on the furniture and floor No drinks except water in carpeted areas Types of food they can enjoy: Carrots will not stain or leave a mess Yogurt Apples Bananas Peanuts

See what I mean, if they are not allowed to eat certain foods in front of the TV or while playing games they will soon be eating healthier snacks or at least not eating junk food.

This will only work, if you and your spouse do not eat in front of the TV except for the items you place on the Okay foods for TV watching.

Only eat at fast food restaurants once or twice per month. If you have to work outside the home and you do not have time to prepare healthy meals. Cook more than one meal on your day off and freeze it. Then you will not have to order pizza or run out to McDonalds.

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TYTV Comments: This makes an important point which is easy to overlook in this debate about childhood obesity: ultimately the parents have control.

Parents may have handed over their control to a convenient electronic babysitter. They and/or their children may have an addiction. They may not be aware how much their television is manipulating their children to want junk food and even nag for it.

In spite of this, ultimately parents do have the power to fix this problem. they just need to take control.