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One of my mottos has always been "Everything in moderation!"
Another is "A body at rest tends to stay at rest, while a body in motion tends to want to stay in motion".
I can't prove this, but I believe that by letting kids stay inactive and possibly overweight through their "growing/developmental" years is bad. This allows their bodies to develop a "foundation" based on carrying extra pounds. When they get older, it becomes next to if not impossible to lose and keep off any weight since their bodies developed around a frame build on extra girth.
I was always active as a kid. Walking miles a day was nothing, heck we walked EVERYWHERE. I can recall walking into the city from Jamaica Plain, or walking home from Downtown Boston. Sure, I was tired, but I didn't mind.
As an adult reaching middle age, I don't walk that far, but I try to walk a mile each day (while working out with 5lb weights).
I feel great, my clothes fit better, and what surprises most of my friends and coworkers is that I weigh MORE than I look.
At 5'11", at 46 yrs I top out at around 275lbs. But look like I would weigh less than 240 easily. (I attribute this to the "walking workouts", and that muscle weighs more than fat.)
I try to watch what I eat, and will "explain" why I buy/eat what I do so that my family might get the hint and try taking better care of themselves.
The bottom line is that if the kids don't build a good body "foundation" now, they'll be in for more "repairs" as they get older, and you'll hear "I wish I had taken better care when I was younger".
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