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It's the time of year when many parents are frantically planning activities to keep their kids busy during summer vacation. With all that extra activity, kids ought to stay - or get - fit in the summer, right?

Not necessarily. According to researchers from Ohio State University, school-aged children can pack on more pounds in the summer than during the school year. Either kids are less physically active during their vacation, or they eat more junk food. Or both.

As a registered dietitian, I see kids in my practice gain weight in the summer. After a regimented school year of making healthy food choices and being active in sports, the unstructured days of summer can make it easy for kids to overeat - and gain a few pounds.

It's a season when there's greater access to chips, ice cream, sugary drinks and candy at home, at camp, at the cottage and at the amusement park.

In the study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers measured the weights and heights of 5,380 children in kindergarten and Grade 1 at the beginning and end of the school year and during summer vacation from fall, 1998, to spring, 2000.

The children's body mass index (BMI) scores grew faster during summer vacation than when school was in session. On average, BMI increased more than twice as much during the summer as during the school year. Children who were already overweight at the beginning of kindergarten showed an even bigger difference between school and summer weight gain.

(BMI is calculated from a child's height and weight. BMI is plotted on a BMI-for-age growth chart according to gender to obtain a percentile. The percentile is used to assess them as underweight, healthy weight, at risk of overweight or overweight.)

The study did not attempt to find out why weight gain was faster in the summer, but it could be because kids snack less or are more active during the school year. And it takes a lot of exercise - more than swimming in the lake or riding a bike to a friend's house - to burn off multiple treats eaten during the course of a day.

Managing the amount of junk food kids eat can be a challenging for parents. Processed foods high in sugar, fat, sodium and chemical additives have become commonplace in the diet.

Junk food from time to time isn't going to harm a child. But a steady intake can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes and behavioural problems. Research has shown that the process of heart disease, the fatty buildup on artery walls, begins in childhood.

It's never too late - or too early - to encourage healthy eating habits in children. That includes having a policy about junk food so kids have room to get the nutrients they need.

Banning junk food outright isn't the answer. Vetoed foods are more desirable to kids (and adults). However, having junk food readily available throughout the day discourages kids from learning to like other foods. If they ask for it, allowing junk food a few times a week, even once a day, may be appropriate.

If you're a parent struggling to control your child's penchant for junk food, the following strategies may help.

KEEP IT SMALL

Be it ice cream, candy, cookies, French fries or a sugary drink, avoid supersized portions.

STOCK HEALTHY SNACKS

To curb your child's appetite for junk food, keep healthy snacks in the house such as cut up fruit and vegetables, hummus, yogurt tubes, whole grain crackers, cheese strings, whole grain muffins and sorbet. Just as kids learn to love the taste of junk food, they can learn to love the taste of healthier foods, too.

PLAN ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES

If your child reaches for junk food to pass time between meals, have him or her make up a list of activities to do other than eating.

TALK ABOUT NUTRITION

Give children consistent, clear messages about healthy eating to build their nutrition awareness. I'm not suggesting a lecture at every meal, but there's no harm in telling your kids, from time to time, why vegetables and whole grains are good for them.

Explain that it's okay to eat junk food occasionally, but not all the time. It's important for children to know that junk food - despite how prevalent it is - is not considered the norm.

AVOID FOOD REWARDS

Studies indicate it's unwise to use junk food - or dessert - as a reward for good behaviour because those foods become more desirable.

GET KIDS COOKING

If kids become involved in choosing, planning and preparing meals and snacks, they'll be more interested in what they're eating.

BE A ROLE MODEL

It's unrealistic to expect kids to eat healthfully if their parents don't. Don't try to be perfect. Just try to squeeze in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and even exercise - and limit the quantity of the empty-calorie foods. If you don't want your child to become fixated on junk food, don't let it become a focus of your diet.

Leslie Beck, a dietitian at the

Toronto Medcan Clinic, is on CTV's Canada AM every Wednesday.