LOUISVILLE, Ky.-- As people plan their New Year's resolutions, maybe the most popular is to make healthy habits. But now, some suggest parents also to set goals for their children. According to a new study by The State of Obesity, the number of obese 10- to 17-year-olds ranks Kentucky third highest in the country, as of 2017. Spectrum News One spoke with athletic trainers and dieticians for advise on how to reverse that statistic. 

• The State of Obesity ranks Kentucky third highest obesity rate in the country, for 10- to 17-year-olds, as of 2017.
• Athletic trainers want parents to keep kids active, and suggest making workouts fun, by taking martial arts or kickboxing classes.
• Dieticians recommend making food fun, by shopping for fruits and vegetables together with kids, and cooking together. 
  

The owner of M.A.D.E. Fitness and Training Center, Garrett Watson, has been working out for most of his life. Watson, a fitness coach, says his parents led active lifestyles and that transferred to him; that's what he recommends parents do today. He teaches classes like kickboxing, martial arts, and self-defense training, and also trains Louisville Metro Police recruits. He says for kids, working out should be about having fun in a class like this, and not about long treks on treadmills or ellipticals. 

"I would say to them, 'make it fun,'" Watson explains. "As you get older, it becomes more and more apparent, the importance of exercise, so it's good to plant that seed."

According to The State of Obesity, 19.3% of 10- to 17-year-olds in the state are considered obese, as of 2017. 

Dietician Natalie Senninger says it will take more than exercise to make a difference. The Louisville dietician recommends parents put platefuls of vegetables, protein, and a healthy carb on the table, plus limiting fast food and processed foods.

"It really is so much more beneficial to cook your food at home and to have healthy food at home," Senninger says. "One thing that can really help, is getting the kids involved in the food preparation. So, sit down with a cookbook with them and have them pick out a meal, and go to the grocery store and get the ingredients and cook it with you. They're gonna be so much more likely to try it."

It might take some strategy to change the statistic. Trainers also recommend that parents put a limit on screen time, by setting a certain amount of hours kids can spend on the iPad or phone, and playing video games or watching TV.