"...the uncomfortable truth is that responsibility for childhood obesity begins and ends in the family home."

Parents must address the obesity crisis

"It’s a simple problem with a simple solution. Dietitians, fitness experts and teachers all have a part to play, but the uncomfortable truth is that responsibility for childhood obesity begins and ends in the family home. If children are eating too much and exercising too little, it is their parents’ responsibility to address the situation. They have to make sure that their children eat healthy meals, and that high-sugar and high-fat foods are an occasional treat not part of the daily diet. Moreover, they should encourage their offspring to be active. Parents should lead by example: healthy living can be a family project, from kicking a ball in a park to creating the perfect salad together.

It may not be easy to resist an impulse purchase of chocolate at the supermarket or to cope with tantrums when children don’t always get what they want. But the “tough love" involved in regulating food consumption is in the child’s best interests. Every parent has a duty to ensure that their children have the best possible start to a healthy, happy and long life."