But there is promising news. Most parents and other caregivers are committed to helping children be the best they can as children and later as healthy adults. Participation in organized activities also teaches valuable lessons about discipline and sportsmanship. Being physically fit increases self-esteem. Teenagers who feel good about themselves are less likely to have problems with gangs, drugs, and alcohol than teens who have low self-esteem.
Parents can lobby schools for physical education and after-school programs that promote fitness.
They can enroll their kids in classes and encourage team sports participation. They can limit television and computer and video activity, while promoting vigorous outdoor play like bike-riding, rollerblading and street hockey. Perhaps the most effective way for a parent to encourage a child's fitness is to set an example by making physical activity a part of everyday life. The family that plays together not only has fun, but invests in the health and well-being of both the adults and children. The Chicago-based American Dietetic Association is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals.