Where's the North Pole in your family? Where do all the little needles point to when they get hungry? You're the one they look to, when they are young, to buy, prepare, and serve the food they eat. This is when good or bad habits are developed. You set the rules and govern the amount of food and type of food that comes into the house. To battle childhood obesity there are three steps you must follow.

1.Eating dinner at the table more than 5 times a week .

2.Sleep at least 10.5 hours a night.

3.Watch less than 2 hours of TV a day.

It's that simple?

In a study conducted by Sarah Anderson, Ph.D, and assistant professor of epidemiology at Ohio State University, 8,550 4 year olds from around the United States followed these three steps and were found to be 40 percent less likely to become obese than children that did none of these things.

When you sit down to dinner, as a family, without TV, you can regulate what your children eat , the proportions and the proper amounts. If they are sitting in front of the TV, how are you going to know if they ate their broccoli or the dog ate it?

In some families the parents are working two jobs or odd hours and the only time they can see the kids is if they let them stay up late. If they stay up late that means less sleep, more treats and TV. Bad, BAD and more BAD. 10.5 hours a night gives kids the rest they need to be energetic and active the next day. You can't pay attention in school if you stay up late.

We have all heard the evils of TV all our lives but what does that have to do with being obese? If you are sitting around watching TV you are most likely, if you 're a kid, not doing any type of exercise. You are probably snacking and your probably staying up late. All together now bad, BAD and more BAD! Less than 2 hours a day of TV is recommended by this study. That gives a kid time to come home from school, play outside, come in and do homework, eat dinner Then see some TV before getting the 10.5 hours sleep they need.

It's all about education. You get what you need and then you'll be able to give what they need!