girls and 18 percent of boys practice unhealthful or even dangerous dieting methods.5 While dramatically restricting calories is effective at lowering weight for the short term, calorie restriction can jeopardize normal growth and development in children and adolescents, as other essential nutrients from food will also be restricted. Further, excess weight is usually symptomatic of poor dietary patterns that calorie restriction alone will not address. Instead, children (and adults) can simply switch to healthful foods. Eating a diet built from fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes, people tend to feel satisfied with fewer calories. For example, when a child chooses a veggie burger instead of a hamburger, he will save 180 calories. As an added benefit, the veggie burger has no cholesterol and 6 extra grams of fiber. A bean burrito loaded with lettuce, tomato, and salsa has 135 fewer calories than a beef and cheese burrito, while still providing all the nutrients children need. It is easy to make the switch and well worth the time. It is never too early to adopt a healthful diet or engage in an active lifestyle. All children need fun physical activity and good nutrition regardless of age or body size.