Disease Proof

Dr. Fuhrman was quoted in an Associated Press article that ran in all sorts of newspapers last week. His message was simple: getting kids to eat healthy food begins with empowering children.

"The child has to be a part of the decision-making process. They have to feel empowered," said Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an author of family fitness books who helped the Wandlings get on track.

Instead, experts say adults often inflict more harm than good by setting rules that only provoke rebellion. Some parents become so restrictive that they forbid even small treats like birthday cake. Others deeply humiliate their children, making a fuss in public over what their kids are eating.

Another common pitfall is isolating a child with a special diet while the rest of the family indulges freely, Fuhrman said. That only creates a forbidden fruit syndrome that can make the child yearn for foods that are off-limits.