I've been spending a lot of time talking about health, particularly the health of our kids and the threat posed by childhood obesity. In my conversations with students, parents and caregivers, we often discuss the various factors that contribute to "good" health, including our environment and the amount of exercise we get each day.

However, when the conversation turns to food, I've noticed an interesting misconception -- one that affects both how we get and stay healthy. The common thought is that healthy eating means cutting out all "fun" foods -- desserts, snacks, and many foods we all enjoy -- essentially becoming a diet of denial.

Moderation is a central component of the USDA dietery guidlines, recognizing the need to balance whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruit with our consumption of oils and fats. But my definition of moderation goes even further. In the "Meaning of Our Lives: A Cross-Cultural Perspective on Eating and Well-Being," psychologist Paul Rozin points out that French traditions of moderation, a strong preference for quality over quantity, and an overall appreciation and enjoyment of the food experience do in fact support a healthy lifestyle.

For Americans, this means getting realistic. With so many foods so readily available to our children at every turn, it can be difficult to implement the perfect diet. But if we adjust our goals from never touching a piece of chocolate to making it a weekly treat, it will be much easier to stay on track in both the short- and long-term.

I know moderation works from my own experience. While I regularly enjoy eating fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains and have eliminated some unhealthier items, such as soda, from the Executive Mansion, I allow myself and my kids to enjoy the occasional slice of pizza. And at birthday parties, we definitely eat the cake!

As parents, we are doing our best when we can exemplify the lifestyle we want for our children. We have to remember that it is not just about good foods versus bad foods. Every food can be a part of your child's diet with some items showing up on the table less often than others. Also, we do not have to be in fear of fats! While we should limit overall consumption, fats like olive oil and canola oil are recognized as key components to a balanced diet.

At the kickoff pep rally for my Healthy Steps to Albany contest on March 1, the most important message I wanted kids and parents to take away is that we are in control of our health. We can determine what we put into our bodies. By claiming our own power around food, we have the ability to eat in a healthy way while still taking pleasure in our meals. Furthermore, as we look to teach our kids healthy eating habits, being realistic about our choices will help them to sustain these habits over time. These are not just suggestions for becoming healthy today, but for maintaining a lifetime of healthy eating.

Article by Michelle Paige Paterson

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Try the less is more diet: Study says little changes have the biggest impact

By Daniel Martin

It could be dubbed the 'less is more' diet.

Making tiny changes to your daily food consumption is all it takes to have a big impact on your health, a study has found.

Experts say around 20,000 lives a year could be saved if Britons simply tweaked their diet to include one gram less of salt a day, an extra piece of fruit and less saturated fat.

The findings will encourage those put off dieting by elaborate and often confusing regimes such as the Atkins diet, which has four 'phases' and is based on consuming protein-rich food.

Dieticians warn that Britons need to transform their eating habits, with around a quarter of the population classed as obese - so fat their health is in danger. According to current trends, that could rise to more than half the population by 2050.

The research by teams at Oxford and Liverpool universities, compared dietary patterns against deaths from heart disease in Britons aged 25 to 84.

The condition is the country's biggest killer with 270,000 Britons suffering a heart attack every year.

The scientists then calculated the impact of lower cholesterol and blood pressure among the population caused by small adjustments to our diets.

Excess salt is known to increase blood pressure, while saturated fats and trans fats - the so- called 'hard' fats found mostly in foods such as pies, biscuits and ready meals - can damage blood vessels, increasing the risk of a clot that can cause a heart attack or stroke.

Try the less is more diet: Study says little changes have the biggest impact

By Daniel Martin

It could be dubbed the 'less is more' diet.

Making tiny changes to your daily food consumption is all it takes to have a big impact on your health, a study has found.

Experts say around 20,000 lives a year could be saved if Britons simply tweaked their diet to include one gram less of salt a day, an extra piece of fruit and less saturated fat.

The findings will encourage those put off dieting by elaborate and often confusing regimes such as the Atkins diet, which has four 'phases' and is based on consuming protein-rich food.

Dieticians warn that Britons need to transform their eating habits, with around a quarter of the population classed as obese - so fat their health is in danger. According to current trends, that could rise to more than half the population by 2050.

The research by teams at Oxford and Liverpool universities, compared dietary patterns against deaths from heart disease in Britons aged 25 to 84.

The condition is the country's biggest killer with 270,000 Britons suffering a heart attack every year.

The scientists then calculated the impact of lower cholesterol and blood pressure among the population caused by small adjustments to our diets.

Excess salt is known to increase blood pressure, while saturated fats and trans fats - the so- called 'hard' fats found mostly in foods such as pies, biscuits and ready meals - can damage blood vessels, increasing the risk of a clot that can cause a heart attack or stroke.

Try the less is more diet: Study says little changes have the biggest impact

By Daniel Martin

It could be dubbed the 'less is more' diet.

Making tiny changes to your daily food consumption is all it takes to have a big impact on your health, a study has found.

Experts say around 20,000 lives a year could be saved if Britons simply tweaked their diet to include one gram less of salt a day, an extra piece of fruit and less saturated fat.

The findings will encourage those put off dieting by elaborate and often confusing regimes such as the Atkins diet, which has four 'phases' and is based on consuming protein-rich food.

Dieticians warn that Britons need to transform their eating habits, with around a quarter of the population classed as obese - so fat their health is in danger. According to current trends, that could rise to more than half the population by 2050.

The research by teams at Oxford and Liverpool universities, compared dietary patterns against deaths from heart disease in Britons aged 25 to 84.

The condition is the country's biggest killer with 270,000 Britons suffering a heart attack every year.

The scientists then calculated the impact of lower cholesterol and blood pressure among the population caused by small adjustments to our diets.

Excess salt is known to increase blood pressure, while saturated fats and trans fats - the so- called 'hard' fats found mostly in foods such as pies, biscuits and ready meals - can damage blood vessels, increasing the risk of a clot that can cause a heart attack or stroke.

A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition has found that reducing fat intake through diet can help lower cholesterol.

According to Reuters, researchers studied the effects of dietary-fat changes among 900 Australian adults age 49 and older who were followed for 10 years. They found that individuals who cut down on the amount of saturated fats, like butter, in their diets were also able to lower their cholesterol levels, even if they were taking a cholesterol-lowering medication.

In addition, choosing healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids over more unhealthy fats was linked to an increase in HDL, or "good," cholesterol levels.

The American Heart Association recommends that adults limit their saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of their daily calories and strive to eat two fish meals per week, preferably omega-3-rich fatty fish.

Researchers involved with the study say that reducing dietary fat and increasing the amount of omega-3s can help individuals enjoy better overall heart health. They also say that their findings prove that changing the diet can be as beneficial to health as taking conventional medications.