(The New York Times News Service) -- ALBANY, N.Y. -- Teaching your kids about how to take care of their bodies can be the most important lessons you teach them -- and also the hardest.

Every day we are bombarded with misinformation, and kids face the same onslaught -- from commercials for sugary cereal to video game heroes -- and it can be difficult for parents to combat all that misinformation.

"Parents have to really be cognizant of what their kids are watching," says Carrin Schottler-Thal, a pediatrician with Albany Medical Pediatric Group. Parents not only have to filter out that information, they have to re-educate their kids, and finding accurate sources of information is also difficult, says Schottler-Thal. Begin by finding a doctor you trust, one who can steer you and your children in the right direction, she says.

"There is so much information out there, it becomes a challenge about what parents can do and should do," says Harry Miller, a pediatrician with Four Seasons Pediatrics in Clifton Park, N.Y.

"First, don't be paralyzed by the information overload. I see some parents who get such misinformation from well-intentioned people or on the Internet."

Miller recommends gradual change with specific goals in mind: "Change a few things and do them well. Don't try to do everything all at once."

When it comes to helping your kids adopt healthy habits, you must take the lead. Parents have to be role models for their children, Schottler-Thal says. If you want them to eat healthy, you have to eat healthy. If you want them to exercise, you have to exercise. "Take care of yourself and your children will follow," she says.

"Children are sponges," Miller says. "They learn from what they hear, but learn so much more from what they see."

Here are some of the most important health lessons parents can teach their children:

Eat healthy: To maintain a healthy weight and avoid long-term health issues, teach your children to avoid junk food and sugary drinks. Instead, the majority of their diets should be fresh fruit and vegetables, says Schottler-Thal. Children should eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables every day.

Get regular exercise: Children should get at least 30 minutes of activity every day, rain or shine. In nice weather, head outdoors; in cold weather, head to the YMCA for some indoor activities, or bundle up and go for a walk.

Limit screen time: In order to encourage kids to play, parents should limit time spent in front of the television and computer screens. Kids should have no more than two hours of screen time every day, says Miller. "Children eat about 100 calories more for every hour of TV they watch," says Miller. "A study showed that BMI's [Body Mass Index] fell into healthy ranges just by cutting TV time in half."

Safety first: Teach kids to avoid serious injuries by taking proper safety precautions. Children must always wear bicycle helmets when they're on bikes, seat belts when they're in the car and proper sports equipment when they're on the field. "I always tell parents, 'I can fix a lot of things, but I can't fix their brains,"' says Schottler-Thal.

Learn to swim: To stay safe in the water, parents should make sure their kids learn to swim as early as possible, about the age of 4. Even so, parents should keep an eye on kids in the water.

Schottler-Thal warns against having a sense of false security.

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