Do you want your kids to be healthy? Show them how!

When I was a kid, I didn't have carbonated soft drinks or potato chips very often, and desserts after dinner were not a given.

"Oh, you poor thing!" you might exclaim. "Did you never get anything good to eat?"

Yes, I did. All the time. My mother made me eat my fruits and vegetables. And today, I thank her for it.

Because of her early lessons in what was "good" for me to eat and what wasn't, I have formed lifelong habits that keep me healthy today.

If I wanted a snack when I came home from school, I reached for a piece of fruit. Dinners were rounded out with meat, potatoes or rice and vegetables – and we had to eat a little bit of everything. Our drink with dinner? Milk.

We did have desserts, soft drinks and chips, but they were reserved for weekends and other special occasions.

Because of this, I learned how to eat right. I learned like nutrient-dense foods and what they do for my health. I also learned that it's OK to have junk food sometimes -- as long as it's kept in perspective as a treat and not as a diet staple.

An article here says helping kids lead healthy lifestyles begins with parents who lead by example.

Poor eating habits are often established during childhood, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 60 percent of young people eat too much fat, and less than 20 percent eat the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day, according to this article.

I think there’s a lot of truth to that. Because of the examples my parents set for me, I learned to think about my food choices and eat foods for their nutritional value.

I’ve known other people who are examples of the opposite – because of the habits they learned, they don’t eat so healthy as adults.

Someone I knew several years ago in college had a mother who would fix him his own meal every day, giving him total control over what he wanted to eat. She didn’t force him to eat anything he didn’t want to. The result? A very picky eater who ate nothing but junk food and didn't want to try anything new. I don’t even want to imagine what his blood sugar and cholesterol numbers are like now.

A family I know has two overweight parents – and their three kids are on their way to being overweight. In the past couple years, they have tried to make some changes as a family, and I wish them the best of luck. If this family is going to change their kids’ lifestyle habits, they’d better do it now. Their oldest child is a teenager, and as she gets older, her eating habits will be more and more difficult to change.

I’ve also worked with people who make the same New Year’s resolution year after year – to eat better and lose weight. They start off great, but by March, if not sooner, they’re back to their old habits, claiming they “just can’t give up” their hamburgers, pizza and beer. I’ve also seen people who eat for comfort, not for nutrition, and they stay fat because of it.

So, I appeal to the parents. Your kids will learn from you. Sometimes, they will learn only too well. You want to prepare them for a successful future in terms of education and career, don’t you? What about a successful future for their health? Set them on the right health path, and they’ll be more likely to live a long life so they can enjoy their other successes.

What kind of health example are you setting? Think about it.