It's Halloween, so let's eat candy! Or maybe not . . .

Halloween marks the start of the dieters' sweet, slippery slope.

First come Halloween treats, then Thanksgiving pies followed by a month of holiday cookies, candies and pastries.

You're still reeling from the New Year's munchies when you step on the scales in January. Ouch.

You can follow one of two mind-sets:

1. "Just because so-and-so jumps off a cliff or eats a bag of Hershey's Miniatures in one sitting doesn't mean you have to do it."

2. "If you can't beat 'em, eat 'em."

It seems that most people take the second tactic. Halloween is the holiday with the highest candy sales, followed by Easter, Christmas and Valentine's Day, according to the National Confectioners Association. An NCA survey found that 90 percent of parents admitted to sneaking goodies from their children's trick-or-treat bags.

More sweet tidbits from the NCA:

1. Americans consume an estimated 20 million pounds of candy corn each year, according to Brach Confections Inc., the nation's leading maker of candy corn.

2. Bite-size chocolate candies are the most popular Halloween candy.

3. About 35 percent of adults give their favorite candy to trick-or-treaters; 16 percent buy their children's favorite candy; 21 percent pick up whatever candy is on sale.

4. Approximately 93 percent of American kids will go trick-or-treating this Halloween, and about 85 percent of U.S. households will hand out candy.

You don't want to put a damper on the fun, but obesity is a real problem with both kids and adults. Here's advice from a variety of sources to get a grip on Halloween munching:

1. Buy Halloween candy at the last minute, so family members have less time to be tempted to sample it.

2. Buy your least-favorite candy to give out to trick-or-treaters — again, less temptation.

3. Consider giving out nonsweet treats, even though it's not popular with the kids. (You can usually guess which dentist in the neighborhood gave out the sugar-free gum or toothbrushes.)

4. Serve a favorite healthy dinner before trick-or-treating starts. The whole family will be less likely to pick at the candy bag if they're full.