Steven is a doctor. His job is in a hospital. His home is near the hospital, so he walks to the hospital.

One day, a lady called Mrs. White went to see Steven. She was rich, but she was not happy. She was fat. She said to Steven, “I’m fat now. I want to be thin. What can I do? Can I take some medicine?”

Mrs White was very happy. And she said, “Thank you very much, doctor. But do I eat the food before or after dinner?”

Wang Yan, a 13-year-old Chinese girl, likes eating snacks (零食) very much. She likes cream biscuits, McDonald’s hamburgers and KFC chicken. She eats snacks almost every day. Sometimes she doesn’t even eat rice or any vegetables, so she gets very fat. Her parents are very worried (担忧) about her.

Today in China, there are many children like Wang Yan. Health experts (专家) suggest that children should have healthy eating habits.

First, they should eat three meals and begin with a healthy breakfast. About 45% students go to school without breakfast. A good breakfast can make them have a good memory (记忆力).

Second, they should have different kinds of food such as fruit, vegetables, grain, eggs, and meat. Children should drink one cup of fat-free milk at each meal instead of (代替) soft drinks like cola.

Third, children shouldn’t eat too much junk food such as hamburgers, French fries, and so on. They are delicious, but they are bad for their health. Poor eating habits are a big problem (问题) now.

If children do as the experts suggest, they can’t be fat. They will be healthy and keep in a good mood (心情). Also, they won’t become tired at school, and they will have enough energy (精力) when they study.

Healthy eating doesn’t just mean what you eat, but how you eat. Here is some advice（建议）on healthy eating:

Eat with others. It can help you to see others’ healthy eating habits. If you usually eat with your parents, you will find that the food you eat is more delicious.

Listen to your body: Ask yourself if you are really hungry. Have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty—sometimes you are just thirsty: you need no food. Stop eating before you feel full.

Eat breakfast: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After you don’t eat for the past ten hours, your body needs food to get going. You will be smarter after eating breakfast.

Eat healthy snacks like fruits or cheese: We need snacks sometimes. In fact, it’s a good idea to eat healthy snacks between your three meals. This doesn’t mean that you can eat a bag of chips instead of a meal.

Don’t eat dinner late: With our busy life, we always put off eating dinner until the last moment. Try to eat dinner at least 3 hours before you go to bed. This will give your body a chance to digest(消化) most of the food before you rest for the next 8—10 hours.