National statistics show that many of us do not. According to the American Obesity Association, an alarming 15.5 percent of children between the ages of six and 11 are considered obese, putting them on a collision course with the nation's biggest killer: heart disease. The power of preventing such a tragedy lies in the hands of parents, according to pediatric health experts.

Parents are the gatekeepers and the role models for their children's eating and exercise habits, says Marjorie Milici, M.D., pediatrician on the medical staff at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas.

Chronic diseases, such as obesity, heart disease and cancer, which take decades to develop, have their roots in childhood, when exercise and eating behaviors are being learned, adds Dr. Milici.

Starting at a very young age, children should begin learning about proper nutrition and exercise. The American Heart Association (AHA) says that children age 2 and older should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, as well as a variety of other foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol, in order to promote cardiovascular health.

It's up to parents to help their children control the factors that they can, such as diet and exercise, says Dr. Milici. Children should get at least 30 minutes of exercise five days a week. Lack of exercise prevents the breakdown of bad cholesterol in our bodies. Combined with a high-fat diet, it can lead to health problems such as elevated cholesterol levels, heart disease and diabetes when children are older.

A Guide for Parents Kids are getting too much of the bad stuff and not enough of the good:

TOO MUCH/MANY

sedentary time busy time calories found in lower-nutrient foods sugary beverages

NOT ENOUGH

physical activity rest or downtime (To increase their energy, children usually eat more when they're tired.) fiber, vitamin C, calcium, iron low-fat dairy products

For more information about Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, visit BaylorHealth.

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Currently only 1.8 per cent of the health budget is spent on preventive health measures even though experts estimate one-third of diseases result from such preventable risk factors as tobacco, alcohol, poor diet and lack of exercise.

The federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, said the institute's report showed the previous government's lack of interest in preventive health as federal spending had fallen by 8 per cent to $797 million in 2005-06, compared with the previous year, while public-health funding by states and territories had increased by 17 per cent.

Ms Roxon says the Government is committed to establishing a national preventive health taskforce to tackle the looming burden of chronic diseases, with an initial focus on alcohol, tobacco and obesity.

Michael Moore the chief executive of the Public Health Association of Australia, says most people understand preventative health makes good economic sense as well as good health sense and NSW should be embarrassed by its rating.