Not too many years ago you couldn’t walk along a sidewalk without seeing the faint remnants of a hopscotch pattern. Swings that once squeaked almost as gleefully as their riders now rust silently. The green grass of parks is allowed to grow mostly unmolested. Bikes sit in garages and mitts lie covered in dust and un-oiled.

Today’s youth are much more intent on setting a new high score on the latest video game. Some are enthusiastically building webpages. Others are caught in the grip of sitcoms and cartoons. And it shows.

Unfortunately, the past decade has seen an incredible rise in juvenile obesity. In the United States there has been an increase of 20 percent in juvenile obesity leading the U.S. government to estimate that roughly six million children are now overweight enough to affect their health. Until recently, type 2 diabetes was known as adult onset diabetes. Now, with the proliferation of children developing this disease, it’s name has changed. More and more young people are suffering from health problems previously thought to be exclusive to adults, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, sleep apnea, and many other issues. An overweight child especially suffers in terms of self-esteem. As much as we may not want to admit it, children can be cruel and most often overweight children suffer at the hands of their peers.

But what can be done? The simplest—and best—answer is to increase your child’s physical activity.

Why not Diet?

While it’s true enough that adolescents don’t have the best eating habits, trying to control their weight through dieting is not necessarily the best answer. Low calorie diets, and especially very low calorie diets, can lead to growth stunting. Not only that, but low calorie diets that are not coupled with exercise can lead to the loss of fat-free mass, such as muscle.

That’s not to say that dieting won’t help; nor does it mean that we shouldn’t watch what our children are eating. Even the best exercise program in the world can do little to help if the right things are not eaten or if too much is eaten. You can help your child to make good choices when eating—such as choosing fruit for a snack or making sure that vegetables make up the majority of meals.

At the same time, be careful to not limit a child’s food choices too much. Some sweets and treats won’t hurt them. The key is moderation. If you help them moderate how much sweets, treats, fast food, and other less-than-nutritious foods they eat, they’ll not only be developing more healthy eating habits, they’ll also be less likely to sneak treats when you’re not looking.

Increasing Physical Activity

One of the greatest things you can do for your child is to foster physical activity. Study after study has shown that increased physical activity increases insulin sensitivity, reduces blood pressure, improves cholesterol levels, enhances mood and self-image, and improves brain function. In other words, physical activity can help your child to be a happier, more satisfied, and better functioning adolescent.

But getting that future coach potato up and moving may be easier said than done. Video and computer games as well as television vie for a child’s attention. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 43 percent of students in grades 9-12 watch more than two hours of television every day. That doesn’t sound too alarming, but consider it in the context of a study reported in a 1985 issue of Pediatrics. According to the study, each additional hour of TV viewing per week translates into a two percent increase in the likelihood of becoming obese—in other words, if your child watches two hours of TV every day of the week (14 hours) they’re 28 percent more likely to be obese. But it’s not just sitcoms and cartoons. Computers and video games have the same effect.

So how can you increase a child’s activity levels?

Start Young

It’s much easier to establish a good habit now rather than break a bad habit later. If you have a child younger than five, you’ve no doubt noticed the incredible energy levels they have. Foster that energy. Realize that just because your child is active and energetic doesn’t necessarily mean they have ADHD—they’re just kids! Do your best to keep up with them and let them play.

Within limits. Remember, you’re also responsible to mold these little people into responsible members of the community. You can teach them to be respectful and aware of appropriate play times without endangering the good habit of physical activity.

When a child is very young it is also important to begin to develop their coordination skills. It wasn’t too long ago that this little one discovered the process of rolling over. Don’t expect them to be able to go out for a long one just yet. Rolling and stopping a ball can graduate into throwing and catching. Crawling, walking, and hopping can grow into running and jumping. As your child grows in coordination skills and strength, more options will be available.

Chores

OK, so chores aren’t the most fun way to get your child active. But chores can be active. Consider this: light house cleaning—activities like dusting and vacuuming—for half an hour can burn between 81 to 104 calories; vigorous cleaning—mopping or washing the car—burns between 145 to 188. Making chores a daily part of your child’s life can play a major part in keeping them active (and the house clean!).

Organized Sports

When your child reaches the right age, enroll them in sports—if that appeals to them. Organized sports are a great way to promote activity as well as teach your child important social skills such as teamwork, good sportsmanship, and how to interact with their peers and elders.

But don’t forget that sports also have an off season. It’s important to keep your child active even when their sport isn’t. Be careful not to burn them out on a sport; variety is the name of the game. No matter what time of year it is, some sport will be in season. Let them try a number of different sports.

Active Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Sports

Every one is wired a little differently. Maybe organized sports just aren’t your child’s cup of tea. That doesn’t mean they should be allowed to sit in front of the TV. There are still plenty of other activities they could be doing. Look for something they can get into, and then encourage them.

Just getting your child outside will go a long way toward increasing activity. Take a moment and try to think of outdoor activities that don't require you to be active. Now do the same for indoor activities. Which list is longer? Chances are, once your child is outside they'll be active.

Make Playtime Playtime

When it’s time to play, make your children play. Get them outside. If they have friends over, make sure their playmates are playing as well. They’ll have more fond memories of being outside playing as a child then they will have of beating yet another video game.

Of course, there’s a time and a place for television programs, movies, and video games. You probably won’t be able to completely eliminate these things from your child’s life. The goal isn't elimination; it's moderation. Help your child moderate sedentary activities. Set limits on how much time can be spent playing video games or watching TV (electronic monitoring devices are available if you need them). Not only will this help increase physical activities, but it will also help your child learn to manage their time and resources.

Keep in mind also that it’s not how strenuous the activity is that is important. Instead, focus on the total amount of activity. Most guidelines suggest 30 minutes of physical activity daily for children. As long as they’re out there doing something for at least 30 minutes, they’ll be well on their way to better health.

Gift Giving

While you may turn Christmas morning into Christmas mourning, give active gifts. Rather than giving the latest video game, try giving your child something that will require them to be active. Sports equipment, hiking and camping gear, bikes and roller skates, games, and other paraphernalia will help inspire activity. Of course, you may also have to do the activity that the gift is meant for in order to get your child interested in it, but at least they'll be active!

Don’t Rely on PE

The days of required PE classes are quickly dying away. Smaller budgets have caused many schools to close down many curriculum choices, and Physical Education classes are often the first to go. According to Liane M. Summerfield’s book Promoting Physical Activity and Exercise among Children, “just 47 percent of middle/junior high schools and 26 percent of high schools require at least three years of physical education….” despite the fact that “physical activity has been associated with increased academic performance, self-concept, mood, and mental health.” Don't assume that your children get enough physical activity at school. When they come home, do what you can to keep them up and moving.

Be Active Together

Most likely, you’ve had a long day. After work, you just want to go home and relax—prop up your feet, grab the remote, and take it easy. If that’s what your child sees you doing, they’ll likely do the same.

Take the time to get off the couch and do something active as a family—even if it’s just walking around the block. You can play catch, ride bikes, shoot hoops, go for a hike, do your chores together, or any number of activities. If you’re physically active, your child will be also. And don’t forget, doing active things together means spending quality time together.

Support Don't Ridicule

Your child is probably also his or her own worst critic. Children are often all to aware of their shortcomings. They probably already know whether or not they're good at sports or any other physical activity. They're probably also aware of their physical shortcomings in terms of appearance. If they are overweight, or if they're still struggling with "baby fat", they don't need anyone reminding them of it, especially their parents.

If your child isn't good at a particular activity, or if they are overweight, support their efforts no matter how bad their performance may be. They'll try harder just knowing that you believe in them.

The Already Obese Child

But what about the child that is already obese? Don’t worry, the same principles hold true. The idea is to increase the amount of active activities and limit the amount of sedentary activities. Admittedly, an obese child won’t have the endurance to keep up with active children, but that ability can be built and improved. Take your time, start slowly, and be consistent.

Additionally, you should consult your physician regarding appropriate activities as well as diet and nutrition.

Healthy, Happy, and Active

The alarming rise in adolescent obesity is a forerunner to a much larger problem. Obesity increases the likelihood of chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, arthritis, depression, and some forms of cancer. The adverse is just as true. Losing that weight—or better yet, never putting it on—lowers your risk of the very same disease.

Unfortunately, more and more children are becoming overweight. And overweight children are at a higher risk of being obese adults (70 percent more likely with the risk increasing if either parent is overweight).

While limiting caloric intake may work for adults, it’s not the best road for children. Rather, increasing physical activity is the best choice. Chances are, your child isn’t active enough. Of children aged 12 to 21, an estimated 50 percent engage in no physical activity at all. You may be the only impetus they have to be active.

You can help prevent the next epidemic of chronic diseases now by instilling in your children the good habit of regular physical activity. It may be a struggle and even a battle now, but eventually, the rewards will outweigh any challenges you’ll have.