Parental love cuts both ways. It can make you discipline your child or spoil him or her. It's difficult to tow the line in between, as any parent will attest. Showing them all the love in the world can usually take the form of giving in to all they want even if we know that in the long run, spoiling them is bad. This is especially true where food and the promotion of sedentary living are concerned.

We use chocolates to reward our children for good behavior, for example. A trip to their favorite fast food joint is enough to let them clean their room or do their homework. When we have to do overtime and know that we will arrive home late, we try to compensate by bringing them a box of donuts. While there's nothing wrong with these treats, they do set some unhealthy eating patterns that our kids bring with them all throughout their lives. This is one of the reasons why obesity is fast-affecting the younger population. Children as young as four years old are getting to be overweight and it's a dangerous situation to be in.

The second half of the equation that has led to massive weight gains among our children is our propensity to use modern conveniences as part of our rewards system. Processed junk is bad enough, but when used together with extended TV privileges or computer game time, it's a sure way towards leading our children to a very sedentary and unhealthy lifestyle.

The good news is, weight loss for kids isn't as complicated as counting calories or adhering to an exercise regimen or putting your little one on a strict dieting program. That would not only be unnecessary but extremely detrimental to his or her overall health and development. What it does involve is serving them with healthier alternatives to processed food. Instead of using treats of chocolates, cakes or donuts, to get them to finish their homework or clean their rooms, it is much better to introduce to them healthier alternatives like fruit and vegetables at the dinner table and inculcate in them the value of work without rewards. Parents must also correct the habit of extending television or computer use every time a kid exhibits good behavior. TV and computer hours must be limited to no more than an hour on weekdays and two hours and weekends, with the rest of the time allocated to more active pursuits like playing badminton or engaging in family walks together. Encouraging them to join the school's soccer time also instills in them the desire to sweat it out and stay healthy. Weight loss for kids is only possible when the proper diet and physical activity are combined.

Finally, parents must set a good example of healthy living. This is a crucial component of weight loss for kids. Young children are very impressionistic and it is the responsibility of parents to ensure that they do not preach one thing to their children while practicing another.