Teaching kids good eating habits.

The Cancer Research Foundation of America (CRFA) is issuing a challenge to parents to teach good nutrition to their offspring. Developing healthy dietary habits in childhood greatly can reduce cancer risk among future generations.

"Teaching children the ABCs of good nutrition gives them an essential tool for living a healthy life," notes Oliver Alabaster, director of the Institute for Disease Prevention at George Washington University and a director of CRFA. In analyzing foods for cancer risk, he points out, "there is no element in food more damaging than fat." CRFA recommends that individuals eat less than 20% of calories from fat, or about 30-40 grams of fat per day. The average child's dietary fat is double what it should be, about 36%. To help parents promote lifelong healthy eating habits, CRFA offers a five-step plan:

Make the switch to skim. Changing from whole milk (48% fat) to skim substantially can reduce the amount of fat in a child's diet. To make the switch, substitute two percent milk in the first two weeks. During the third and fourth weeks, switch to one percent milk, then make the permanent switch to skim milk. Using milk with high-fiber bran cereal makes sense.

Bake, broil, but never fry. Food preparation makes a significant difference in the number of calories from fat in the diet. For example, a baked potato is one percent fat; french fries, 43%. Avoid frying whenever there is an alternative, If you must fry, use olive or canola oil.

Make meat a minor player. Meat should enhance the meal, not be the center. Even lean meats can obtain more than 60% of their calories from fat. Keep the amount low (about three ounces daily) and use vegetables, grains, and pastas as the centerpiece of the meal. For instance...