It can be hard enough to get your children to eat at all. Sometimes, getting them to eat healthy can seem just plain impossible.

But as we enter March, which is also known as National Nutrition Month, nutrition specialists are reminding us about the importance of keeping good, balanced food in the home. Healthy food habits help lead to healthy lives, for both children and adults.

According to Sabrina Hesford, a registered dietitian in Auburn who works with the Eat Well Play Hard program, obesity has become an epidemic in this county. In 2003, 56 percent of adults in the state were overweight or obese, according to a state Behavioral Risk Factor Survey. In Cayuga County, that number is higher - 59 percent.

And that epidemic is reaching children, Hesford said. One in 10 children are obese, and the number of children struggling with health problems related to obesity has tripled in the last 10 years, she said.

“We are seeing children as young as 10 years old getting high blood pressure, fatty streaks in their arteries and they are getting diabetes,” Hesford said.

The issues are not just physical. Obesity in children is directly related to academic problems and low self-esteem, she said.

While the answer to the problem is easy - eat more fruits and veggies and exercise - the solution can be a bit more complicated. As technology makes people more sedentary, and processed, unhealthy food becomes the cheapest and most readily available, parents are having a harder time than before keeping their children healthy.

However, it is not impossible, Hesford said. There are some small, simple steps parents can take that can eventually lead to more nutritious homes. For one, parents can get rid of whole milk. One percent and fat-free milk have all the nutrients that whole milk has, and they are fine for children older than 2, she said.

“Whole milk is the largest contributor of saturated fat to the diet of children,” Hesford said. “And most people can't tell the difference between 1 and 2 percent milk.”

Another tip is to cook healthy meals with your children, Hesford said. Not only does it teach the right kind of food, it will give them a sense of ownership over the meal.

“If you involve your children in cooking, the child has a hand in it and they will probably eat it,” Hesford said. “But you have to take some time and kind of plan it out.”

But it can be a bad idea to push food on a child or make it obvious that you are restricting food, said Syracuse-based dietitian Michelle Gallant. Parents should remember the importance of keeping a “division of responsibility” between themselves and their kids when it comes to food, she said.

Parents are responsible for what is served and for establishing regular meal and snack times. The child is responsible for whether or not they eat it, and how much they eat.

“The parents need to model healthy food choices,” Gallant said. “Children will learn from their parents what foods are enjoyable. So if the parents don't like vegetables, how are their children going to enjoy them?”

Hesford said it is important for people to remember that making a household more nutritious is not an overnight change. It is best to take small steps at a time, like deciding to turn off the television for one afternoon and letting everyone figure out something active to do.

“When you make a small change and you are successful, you are more gung-ho about making other changes,” Hesford said. “It really does become a lifestyle.”