When you’re a parent, maintaining your family’s health and welfare is your highest priority. But whether you have one child or six, it’s often tough to stay on top of the things that keep your kids fighting fit – whether you’re too busy to cook a healthy meal or too tired to play football after work. However, if you make sure that you stick to the three main elements of a healthy family life, you could see the benefits in your child’s health long after they’ve left home.

Perhaps the first and most important aspect of family health is maintaining a good diet. As a general rule, try to cut out salts, sugars and fats from everyday dining and replace them with fruits and vegetables. The 5-a-day rule is a good measure to stick to, so make sure that you and your children eat plenty of fruit and that green vegetables are part of every meal. It’s also important to ensure that your family consumes plenty of fish from an early age, as fish is a vital provider of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, and helps maintain good cardiovascular health. Try looking for low-GI alternatives to staple foods as well – such as sweet potatoes instead of the ordinary white variety – as these will provide longer, more sustained bursts of energy. And don’t overfeed your children either: instead, serve manageable portions that get slightly larger as they get older. Read more »