According to recent research, by the year 2030 more than 86% of all adult Americans will be obese, if the current trends continue.
And, unfortunately, this is not an adult-only problem.
Children are increasingly being affected as well.
A 2008 nation-wide health poll shows that childhood obesity is the #1 health concern for kids (and their parents), and is outpacing tobacco and drug abuse.
So, what steps can the family take?

1. Start by focusing on small changes in your family's daily activities and eating habits.
   
2. Get everyone involved into learning new habits, and developing healthier lifestyle changes.
   Encourage your family members to look at these changes as a choice, not a chore.
   And remember, you don't have to completely ban all "goodies".
   
3. Involve the entire family in discovering more ways to move each day.
   
4. Boost your body's energy levels by adding a nutritional supplement to their daily intake.
   

Want a few tips on ways to increase your physical activity and move towards a healthy lifestyle?

• Let your children see that you are having fun being active.
  When they see you happy they want to join in.
  
• Make entertainment time active time; don't just have a "movie night" - have a "Let's Make a Movie Night" and act out the characters or scenes (the more action, the better - no violence, please);
• Exercising and having fun can go together.
  Take nature hikes, go ball-room dancing, rent bikes (if you don't have one) and ride in the park, or have a family swim day at the local pool.
  
• Challenge your family by seeing who can take the most steps each day;
• When going to school, shopping or eating out, park as far away from the building as you safely can and walk more.
  Where possible take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator;
• When choosing menus for meals, make small changes to the diet, such as drinking water instead of sodas (or have one less soda each day);
• Choose low-fat, low-calorie ingredients when making your favorite recipes.
  Remember, small changes can have tremendous impacts over the long-term.
  
• Clear that pantry of the junk food.
  Leave fruit bowls on the counter, and keep "grab & dash" snacks handy at all times.
  Some examples of low-fat snacks might be string cheese, sliced apples with peanut butter dip, or nuts.
  But, if you must have cookies or crackers on hand try the 100 calorie packs found in most markets.
  
• Keep an eye on the liquid calories.
  Very often we believe we are giving our kids a healthy alternative when we give them juice instead of soda.
  But, those juices can be loaded with sugar and packed with calories, too.
  Make a healther choice with water or low-fat milk.
  
• Give yourself, and your family, some "wiggle room".
  While it's easy to say you'll never eat a certain food again, it's much harder to put into practice.
  You can set a reasonable limit on indulgent foods - that way the temptation to return to the old ways is minimized.
  And your kids won't be tempted to sneak the "bad" stuff.
  
• Adding more fruits and vegetables in your family's diet as well as eating small amounts of fish, lean meats, and whole grains will assist in developing a healthy menu.
  

For adults looking to get a jumpstart towards a healthier lifestyle, Reliv's Slimplicity Weight Loss System is a great way to make the move there.
This simple starter system includes a satisfying meal replacement shake, Accelerator capsules, a food diary, a pedometer, and an exercise journal to help you reach your weight-loss goals, safely and for the long term.
Learn more about the Patented products from Reliv INternational at www.
nancyhillsapp.
com.