The earlier you teach children such sound habits, the more likely they are to maintain a healthy weight.

Firms are advertising herbs and supplements as remedies for everything from colds and asthma to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, but dietary supplements and herbal mixtures aimed at children may be a waste of money -- and a threat to their health.

If you, your parents or your parents' siblings had a heart attack before age 55, you should have your child's cholesterol tested.

Better health for your teen could be as close as your breadbox. The more whole grains teenagers eat, the leaner they are and the less likely they are to develop diabetes.

A fiber-rich diet may decrease the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes later in life, so it's wise to get children in the fiber habit at a young age.

Nutrition experts agree that a wide assortment of nutritionally balanced snacks served in moderation can be a healthy, essential part of a child's diet.

Here are recipes that fit the bill for teaching some baking basics and setting some good nutrition patterns early. All you'll need are some simple tools and tolerance for a few spills. These recipes are safe for a child to make (with adult help) and are practically foolproof.

Just what should kids be drinking? "I think good old H2O,'' says the director of the Nutrition Information Center in New York. But you can add pizzazz: Buy flavored water or make your own with lemon or lime.

High blood pressure has joined type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol on a list of ailments that once struck only adults but now afflict children.

Most weight problems are caused by too little activity and too much food. Most children who are overweight don’t need to diet.

Kids who have strict mothers are five times more likely to be overweight than kids who have flexible moms, according to a study in the journal Pediatrics.

Fruits and vegetables that are peeled, sliced, or bite-sized are easy to eat.

Learning a bit more about vitamins and minerals can help ensure your kids are on the right nutritional track.

Ideally, you should breast-feed exclusively for the first six months, with a goal of continuing breast milk for at least the first year.

Although a lot of young children are finicky about food, they need help when they won’t eat the amount or variety required to keep up their nutritional status.