One of the best things you can do to help your child avoid lifelong weight problems is to encourage him or her to get involved in sports or other physical activities at a young age — but don't forget to talk to them about safety. Experts at the Children's Health and Research Center in Oakland say sharing the following advice with your kids can cut childhood sports-related injuries by 80 percent!
- Always warm up beforehand
- Do a variety of activities rather than the same movements over and over
- Learn to recognize when it's time to take a break
- Don't try to lift weights until after puberty, and then only with a doctor's okay and lots of supervision
- Focus on fitness, not just performance
- Stop at the first sign of pain rather than trying to push through it
