Summertime can be rough for overweight children.

While most kids look forward to summer and the freedom the season affords, youngsters who are overweight may see it differently. "These children may be more self-conscious and therefore, more sedentary," explains Randall C. Flanery, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior and director of the Eating Disorders Program, St. Louis University School of Medicine. "At a time when children need exercise and activity the most, they withdraw. It can be miserable for them."

Researchers estimate that 25% of American youngsters are above an ideal body weight. Nevertheless, Flanery maintains that overweight children should not be put on diets. "It's dangerous to put a child on a restrictive diet because it could interfere with growth." He offers the following tips for parents of children who are overweight:

* Although you shouldn't put your offspring on a diet, you can select the food brought into the house. Replace potato chips with pretzels or carrot sticks. Choose items that are lower in fat. Remember, the eating habits kids develop now will characterize habits for the rest of their lives.

* Set an example. Urging youngsters to be active while you're sitting in an overstuffed chair getting overstuffed isn't very effective. Take a walk or develop a hobby together. It not only keeps children active, it helps build relationships. And by all means, turn off the television set!

* Focus on helping kids feel good about themselves. If you constantly draw attention to the food they're eating, it says to them: "You don't look right. You don't fit in." This is demoralizing and devastating to self-esteem. Let children know they have other...