What to Do

* Hugs, not cookies. Instead of rewarding your child with chocolate chip cookies or ice cream, give her a hug, says pediatrician Dr. Marilyn Lange. Other non-food rewards can include outings to the beach, inexpensive gifts such as baseball cards or hair clips, or special privileges such as extra telephone time.

* Choose healthy snacks. Offer raw vegetables and fruit instead of chips or sweets. Children should have at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

* Limit portion sizes. This may be easier if food is dished out on individual plates in the kitchen and served restaurant-style, rather than brought to the table family-style.

* Make it a family affair. Rather than single out one person to be on a restrictive diet, include everyone in a healthy eating plan. “It is very destructive to separate the child as having the problem,” says psychologist Paulette K. Penton. “Everyone should eat similar things. The kid should not have to have this sterile dinner while parents eat what they want.”

* Hold the mayo. Try low-fat or nonfat versions of mayonnaise, salad dressing, yogurt, ice cream, margarine, milk and cheese. According to the American Dietetic Assn., everyone older than 2 years old should limit fat to no more than 30% of total calories.

* An occasional treat is OK. Forbidding foods does not work. Dietitian Joan DeVito-Agins suggests that children be allowed sweets or other junk foods three times a week.

* Cut back on TV. Kids who watch more than four hours of television a day are more likely to be fat. Some studies indicate that television watching actually lowers metabolism, causing children to burn fewer calories per minute than when doing nothing.

* Build your child’s self-esteem. “Point to your child’s wonderful qualities,” says psychologist and registered nurse Debby Norden. “Never call your child names or cut him down. Let your child know you love him for who he is.”

* Be a positive role model. Incorporate healthy eating and exercise into your own life. Make after-dinner walks or bike rides a regular family activity. Instead of going out to dinner or the movies, go bowling or hiking. Everyone--children and adults--needs at least 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity three times weekly to stay fit. “Children model after their parents. If they see mom or dad jogging, they will want to jog too,” says Lance Steinberg, an Encino pediatrician and psychiatrist who specializes in eating disorders.

* Want to know more? For answers to your food and nutrition questions, call (800) 366-1655. The hot line is staffed by registered dietitians at the National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics. Hours are 7 a.m.-2 p.m. (PDT).