Loving parents want the best for their children -- health, happiness, contentment and success. So this story of a family in the UK whose daughter is battling an eating disorder broke my heart. What makes the situation worse is that the teenager blames her problems on her father, who is obese.

So often, as parents, we worry about the external forces that influence our kids. From TV shows, to dolls, to ads in magazines ... everything is a potential force that can sway our kids away from the values we'd like them to have. But the influences within our homes are even stronger. The examples we set -- with our health, our actions, our morals -- are more powerful than any external source.

The dad whose daughter has an eating disorder and blames it on him was obviously heartbroken. He loves his daughter and he wants her healthy and well. I hope, while recognizing that his habits did influence her, he realizes that her eating disorder isn't his fault. I so respect the way he's handling it, though. As his daughter is receiving treatment for her eating disorder, he's also seeking help for his obesity. While they're on opposite sides of the issue, I wish them both the best of luck on resolving their issues with food and getting to a healthy weight.

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If there's one celebrity name that pops into my head when I hear the words "stick thin," it's Mary-Kate Olsen. Kate Moss is up there too, but I'm guessing Mary-Kate may be known more for her skinniness than her Full House stardom. Hey, things might be changing, though.

Tabloids are reporting that the normally waif-like Olsen twin has put on a few pounds. This all stems from rumors that Mary-Kate is pregnant. Her rep says she absolutely is not. Apparently, the 22-year-old reveals in her new coffee table book Influence that doesn't even want kids. Maybe after previously battling anorexia, she just wants a few extra pounds. Not a bad idea, I'd say.

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That dang rap music has been accredited by many people to the demise of society since its inception, but maybe its naysayers have a point -- new studies show that 77% of rap music has some sort of reference to substance abuse. But that's not all -- 37% of country music songs also referenced drugs or alcohol, compared to 14% of rock songs. Certainly, these are not the kind of values we want to be passing onto our kids, right?

What do you think about the whole anti-music movement that claims that strong lyrics are a poor influence on our kids? Based on my own experiences, I don't see a lot of merit in it -- my formative years happened in the 90s, when Nirvana and other depressing grunge bands ruled the airwaves,and I turned out pretty well-rounded. I truly believe that good parenting can make up for any bad messages our kids are exposed to.

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A grad student at the University of Calgary in Canada has used the death of a family member in a drunk driving accident as inspiration for a video game that simulates the consequences of driving under the influence.

Created by Lori Shyba, the game named Booze Cruise, lets players experience tunnel vision, flared lights and slow reaction times, and forces them to avoid pedestrians and go through alcohol checkstops. While the game still throws in some silly elements -- apparently obstacles to avoid include Elvis and pink elephants -- it still deals with an important life or death subject and is meant to be taken seriously.

Shyba and the rest of the team that created the game want to give young people the chance to see what it's really like to drive after drinking, while avoiding the potentially tragic consequences. Hopefully, kids that get the chance to play Booze Cruise will realize that drunk driving is never an option.

If the game become widely available, would you encourage your kids to play it?

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It's always great to have close friends to help you though a rough patch in a relationship. They can give you guidance based on their own experiences, offer a shoulder to cry on or just listen to little (or big) complaints or concerns you may have.

However, as this piece suggests, it's not a good idea to go overboard when it comes to filling your best buddies in on all of the little details that surround your current relationship. Remember that what your friends say about your other half can influence the way you behave around and toward your partner, so make sure to keep your thoughts separate from theirs.

Also remember that your friends will believe what you tell them about your partner so if all you ever do is share the bad stuff, they'll have an unfair and biased opinion when doling out advice. It's a good idea to let your friends in on some of the good times as well. But don't go too far -- as the article mentions, there are private parts of any relationship that should be kept between the two of you. If there is something that you wouldn't want your other half to share with their friends, it's best if you don't talk about it with yours.

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While many generations before us have struggled with famine, one of the biggest problems that plagues our generation is over-indulgence. We're a culture that can get too much of a good thing -- we overeat on a regular basis. Blogsoop has uncovered the top reasons why we overeat:

• We let visual cues tell us how much to eat
  
• Proximity and visibility of food doesn't help either; it's always there, tempting us.
• We're affected by the volume of food -- if our food had more air in it, it might make a big difference in how much we actually eat
• We accept that the serving size that something comes in is the optimal amount
• We ignore the influence that outside influences have on how much we eat

For more helpful information, including studies to back up these claims, check out the full article.

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It's been a guess of mine for some time that the link between medical research studies and the pharmaceutical industry is stronger than any epoxy on earth. No surprise here, since many industries influence anything related to increasing product sales. Why should drugs be any different?

This debate is again on fire a bit as three authors of a recent study on hip fractures did not volunteer information to officials on past consulting gigs for pharmaceutical companies. Is this the selling out of objective journalism? That ship sailed in the medical field long, long ago I'm afraid.

The question is this -- what are we to believe? Should readers have to investigate every single study author and perform a historical breakdown on each author's professional past? Almost seems that way since it is hard to know when (and who) to trust.

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Whether you want to admit it or not, your kids mimic your habits, as any parent who has inadvertently cursed in front of their child only to hear it come out of their little mouth later knows. And you want the best for your kids but how can expect them to form healthy habits if you, their main influence, aren't leading a healthy lifestyle? If you spend every moment in front of the screen (computer or TV) and get little outdoor activity, they'll want to do that too. So get out of the house and do something -- go for a swim, a walk, a bike ride, rowing in a canoe -- anything to encourage those little minds to get out too, and to show them that being active is not only important but fun.

Here are some tips on being a fit parent from eDiets. Do you have any other suggestions?

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I had to take a minute to hold my tongue on this because it's one that so many people like myself are guilty of. If I counted up the number of times I could be blamed for Dialing and Driving, some states would already have me in jail.

After a certain point though, it really becomes a personal issue. We've all heard the case: it's dangerous because it takes your attention off the road. But what if someone told you it was more risky than driving drunk? Now that's a bold claim! All of a sudden talking on the phone seems about as safe as turning your minivan into a driverless missile on the road.

This oldie-but-goodie article points out the dangers that we should all be reminded of. For instance, did you know that using a hands-free device doesn't really make you safer? All it really does is ensure that you won't have a cell phone to clutch for dear life. So next time you're late picking up the kids or are needed in eight places at once, reconsider that phone, or at the very least make the conversation as short as possible.

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