Are any of your children overweight? If they are, the pressure you place on them may not be helping, says a new report. Researchers from the University of Minnesota suggest that rather than pushing your children to diet,  it might be more beneficial to promote healthier eating and fitness.

Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, the institution’s head researcher, told Reuters Health, “Serve more fruits and vegetables, have more family meals, find ways to be more physically active, turn off the TV.”

There are more tips for helping your kids lose weight.

  • Recognize that your child might be overweight. Only 54 percent of parents of girls correctly identified that their daughters were overweight. Among sons, only 40 percent were identified.
  • Be aware that teens who diet are more likely to gain weight over time. Remember, diets don’t work and they might spark unhealthy eating habits,  such as bingeing.
  • Healthy lifestyles start with you. Provide your children with information and introduce them to tasty and nutritious foods to help build healthier eating habits.

To learn about healthier eating and low-fat recipes,  go to low-fat-recipes.com.