10 tips for healthy kids

Here's what we know so far: today's kids are less active and they consume more sugar, junk food and processed food than previous generations. More children are overweight and obese, and these rates continue to rise.

Experts are also starting to see signs of trouble ahead. Not only are children not getting enough nutrients and exercise for optimal growth and development, they're now facing some of the same risks as adults -- like high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, blocked arteries, heart disease and type-2 diabetes. In fact, some teens' health rivals that of boomer men!

However, despite the warnings, new food-labeling initiatives and educational campaigns in the past decade, a new study from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario suggests that things are actually getting worse.

The study polled 1189 parents who have children ages 6 -12 and asked about their children's diet and exercise habits. Only 13 per cent reported that their children ate five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day, down by a third from a 1998 study. The Greater Toronto Area and Northern Ontario had the lowest rates (at 7 per cent), while children in Western and Eastern Ontario were twice as likely to get their daily requirements. Furthermore, only half of parents surveyed reported that their children were eating whole grain foods. Across the province, many parents reported going without these healthy foods due to the cost.

Physical activity is also on the decline. While the majority of parents reported their children were physically active during the summer, off-season is a different story. Ten years ago, 66 per cent of parents said their child was active during the winter. Now that number has dropped to an average of 57 per cent. More parents in Eastern and Western Ontario reported higher levels of participation (at 70 and 60 per cent respectively) than parents in the GTA and Northern Ontario (50 per cent each).