Modern inventions could help doom an obese child to a lifetime of struggle. With the invention of commercial ice-cream freezers in 1926, ice-cream, once a luxury food, became widely available. Today the average American consumes almost 5-1/2 gallons of ice-cream annually!

Whether it’s ice-cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet, sherbert, rice- and soy-based frozen desserts, all are treats to be enjoyed rarely. A parent needs to recognize and model through diet coaching how to neutralize emotions that grip an obese child in the face of food and treats.