Mini was getting dressed for bed Friday evening. She came out from the bedroom and her shirt didn’t quite meet her pants…In fact, her shirt came nowhere near her pants. Her belly was too big. By a lot, really. It’s an issue that I’ve noticed and tried to make slight, not-so-feelings-hurting comments on, but I don’t think Mini really caught on…until this weekend.

We had decided to buy her some new clothes for when she’s over. Nothing crazy, just a few pairs of jeans, couple of shirts and some pajamas. AM helped and I can’t stress enough how lucky I am to have her in my life. Apparently in the dressing room, Mini got a little frustrated when clothes she thought would fit didn’t…And that’s when I think the light bulb came on her for her.

After she had made her choices and we were in line to check out, I asked if Mini wanted a soda. She said “No. I have root beer at home and I think two sodas is enough for a weekend. Don’t you?” She had fruit and chicken tenders instead of cheeseburger and fries at lunch, only ate half her ice cream at bedtime and only rarely snacked on half-cups of snack mix during the day Saturday and Sunday. She also drank lots of water and only one can of the root beer. She played Wii Fit and Wii Sports Resorts quite a bit and ran around the park a lot more than she had the last few times we went.

I hope that she’s made the connection between her diet (which is usually a lot of fast food) and her lack of activity. And I hope she’s willing to not ask for so much fast food when she’s with her mother. She’ll definitely eat less fast food when she’s here.

Do your tweens had diet and exercise issues? How do you help them to make better food and activity choices? Share you suggestions, ideas and questions in the comments.

With so many families leading hectic lives it’s easy to turn to fast food as a quick fix. The increasing consumption of fast food, coupled with little or no physical activity, are both major sources of concern in the fight against childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity is a serious issue. Studies show that a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has an 80 percent chance of becoming an obese adult.

As a concerned parent, here are a number of ways to help:

Preventing obesity in children requires helping them increase their physical activity and decrease the number of calories they eat. Children should exercise every day and eat foods high in fiber and low in calories and fat.

Parents can help by buying fruit, vegetables and other low-fat foods and serving their children kid-sized portions, instead of stopping at fast-food restaurants. Signing up children for team sports such as soccer, basketball and swimming can keep them active — and burning calories — year-round.

One way to get your children moving is to get the entire family involved in regular physical outings. You can walk or bike together, and plan family vacations that focus on staying active rather than sitting on a beach. When looking for activities, choose those that won’t be difficult or embarrassing for your children

To learn more tips of what you can do to turn your tween around, click on our OHealthy article.

What is your No. 1 concern about your child’s health?