Brenda Khan
Dieting is a common practice among teenagers, with media and social media often portraying it as a way to achieve beauty, happiness, and control over one's life. While it's normal for teenagers to want to improve their bodies, it's crucial to approach this topic with caution. Experts advise against encouraging teenagers to diet as it can lead to harmful eating disorders and negatively impact their rapidly changing bodies. Instead, the focus should be on health-promoting behaviors, such as a balanced diet with a variety of nutritious foods and regular physical activity. This way, teenagers can feel better about themselves and develop a positive body image while ensuring their bodies receive the nourishment they need during this critical growth period.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Calories | The number of calories consumed daily depends on various factors, such as activity levels. Generally, teens should consume enough calories to support their body's energy needs and rapid growth during adolescence. |
| Nutrients | Vitamins, minerals, fiber, lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats are essential. Avoid diets that cut out food groups or essential nutrients. |
| Dietary Fats | Choose healthier fats like oils made from nuts, seeds, olives, or avocados. Limit saturated fats and trans fats, which are often solid at room temperature, such as butter or fat in meat. |
| Sodium | Consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day, including salt added during cooking or eating. |
| Sugar | Limit added sugars and choose naturally sweet foods like fruits. |
| Physical Activity | Engage in daily physical activities that you enjoy, such as walking to school, fitness classes, sports, or dancing. |
| Water Intake | Drink water instead of sugary drinks. Ensure adequate hydration, especially during physical activities or in hot and humid conditions. |
| Mental Health | Maintain a positive body image and seek support if you feel depressed, alone, or concerned about your weight. Talk to a trusted adult, parent, or a doctor. |
| Professional Guidance | Consult a doctor or registered dietitian for personalized advice and to determine a healthy weight. They can refer you to a dietitian for a tailored healthy eating program. |
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What You'll Learn
The dangers of dieting as a teenager
The sources of information available on health and nutrition are often dubious and unreliable, motivated by fad trends and financial incentives rather than scientific evidence. This can lead to teenagers making poor and sometimes dangerous nutritional choices. For example, diets that drastically cut calories or do not provide enough important nutrients can be harmful. Extreme low-fat diets are also bad for you, and everyone needs some fat in their diet. A constant focus on weight and dieting may also lead to eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia.
Teens who have a negative body image often lack confidence in other areas of their lives. Constantly feeling bad about your body, worrying about your weight, or feeling guilty when you eat is not normal or healthy. If you think you worry too much about your weight or if having a negative body image is interfering with your happiness, try to tell an adult you trust, like a parent, teacher, or doctor.
There is also mounting concern that dieting in preadolescents and adolescents may have the paradoxical effect of resulting in excess weight gain over time. In a recent large-scale study involving over 15,000 children (aged nine to 14) followed over a three-year period, it was observed that dieters gained significantly more weight than non-dieters. This is probably because going without the foods you enjoy makes you feel deprived and sad, which may lead to overeating.
Canadian data reported that 8.2% of Ontario girls aged 12 to 18 years and 4% of British Columbian girls reported self-induced vomiting as a weight control strategy. Several large cross-sectional studies have investigated the frequency of specific weight control practices. Fasting, skipping meals, and using crash diets are frequent (22% to 46%). Self-induced emesis has been found to occur in 5% to 12% of adolescent girls.
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How to lose weight healthily
It is important to remember that everyone's body is different and that bodies change at different rates, especially during adolescence. This is a period of rapid growth and development, and it is essential to provide the body with optimal nutrition. A constant focus on weight and dieting may lead to eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Therefore, it is best to consult a doctor or a registered dietitian before making any changes to your diet.
Healthy eating habits
A healthy diet should include a variety of foods and drinks that are high in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Try to choose foods and beverages that are low in saturated fats, added sugars, and sodium. Some foods that are rich in nutrients include:
- Vegetables: These contribute many valuable nutrients like fiber, potassium, and vitamin A, which can help you have a healthy heart, kidneys, and eyes, and may protect you from infections.
- Fruits: These are naturally sweet and provide many essential vitamins and minerals.
- Whole grains: These provide fiber to help you feel full and are a good source of complex carbohydrates.
- Lean protein: This includes poultry, seafood, eggs, beans, soy products, and nuts, which provide important nutrients and help you feel satisfied.
- Dairy products: These are a good source of calcium and vitamin D, which is important for bone health.
Lifestyle changes
In addition to eating a healthy diet, it is important to stay active and make lifestyle changes. Here are some tips:
- Be active every day: Find an activity you enjoy and do it regularly. This could include walking to school, signing up for a fitness class, finding a sport you like, or just dancing in your bedroom.
- Cut back on junk food: Reduce your intake of fried foods, sweets, chips, and other highly processed foods.
- Drink water: Choose water instead of sugary drinks like soda, juice, and sports drinks.
- Prepare meals at home: Eating out a lot can cause weight gain because you have less control over the ingredients and portion sizes.
- Pay attention to portion sizes: Even when eating healthy foods, it is important to watch your portion sizes to ensure you are not overeating.
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The importance of physical activity
Regular physical activity is essential for teenagers' overall health and well-being. It offers a multitude of benefits, from improving cardiovascular health to providing stress relief during a tumultuous life stage. With children and teenagers increasingly adopting sedentary lifestyles, spending an average of 7.5 hours daily in front of a screen, incorporating physical activity into their routines is crucial.
Firstly, physical activity helps prevent various health issues. It lowers the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol levels. Additionally, it contributes to the development of a healthy heart, kidneys, and eyes, potentially protecting against infections. For example, aerobic activities increase teens' capacity for exercise and play a role in preventing heart disease.
Secondly, physical activity promotes mental well-being. It is an effective stress reliever for teens facing academic, social, and personal pressures. By engaging in physical activity, teens can reduce their stress levels and improve their overall mental health.
Furthermore, physical activity can help teens develop healthy habits that will benefit them throughout their lives. By making small adjustments to their daily routines, such as walking or riding to school, teens can easily incorporate physical activity into their schedules. This promotes a healthy balance between physical activity, academic work, and social activities.
Additionally, physical activity provides a sense of belonging and purpose. Participating in community groups, sports teams, or youth clubs allows teens to feel more independent and connected to their peers. It fosters a sense of achievement and encourages them to continue their physical activities.
Lastly, physical activity can be enjoyable and accessible. By incorporating activities they enjoy, such as fitness playgrounds, dance games, or sports, teens are more likely to develop a positive relationship with exercise. It's important to note that physical activity doesn't always have to be organized or competitive; it can include everyday activities like walking, riding a bike, or playing a musical instrument.
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Healthy food choices
As a teenager, your body is undergoing rapid growth and development. This includes changes in body composition, height, weight, muscle mass, bone density, and organ growth. Therefore, it is crucial to provide your body with optimal nutrition and an adequate number of calories. A well-rounded diet will support your overall health and lower the risk of health complications later in life.
Firstly, it is important to consume a variety of foods to ensure your body gets all the necessary nutrients. Focus on eating more fruits and vegetables as they are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which aid digestion and promote a healthy heart, kidneys, and eyes. Whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal, are also excellent sources of fiber, keeping you feeling full for longer.
Secondly, ensure you are getting enough protein. Include a variety of protein-rich foods in your diet, such as lean meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, beans, soy products, and nuts. These provide essential nutrients and help you feel satisfied after meals.
Thirdly, choose healthy fats and avoid excessive saturated fats. Opt for oils made from nuts, seeds, olives, or avocados rather than butter or coconut oil. While your body needs some fat, focus on healthy fats and ensure they make up about 30% of your total calorie intake.
Additionally, limit your consumption of sugary drinks, such as soda, juice, and sports drinks, and choose water instead. Sugar-sweetened beverages contain extra calories without providing any additional nutrients. Similarly, cut back on fried foods, sweets, and other highly processed snacks, as these tend to be high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, and sodium.
Finally, be mindful of your sodium intake. While your body needs a small amount of sodium, most people consume too much. Instead of adding extra salt to your meals, try using other seasonings or herbs to enhance the flavor of your food.
Remember, it is always a good idea to consult with a doctor or registered dietitian to ensure your dietary choices align with your individual needs and health goals.
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How to recognise signs of an eating disorder
Adolescence is a period of continuous stress, rapid physical, hormonal, and emotional changes, and it can be challenging to differentiate between normal mood fluctuations and warning signs of a more severe problem. Eating disorders are complex medical illnesses that can have serious physical, mental, and psychosocial consequences, and they are often underdiagnosed and untreated. They are both medical and mental health disorders, and they can affect any age, ethnicity, gender, body shape, or size.
Eating disorders involve an unhealthy relationship with food and significant interference with daily functioning. Common types of eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Anorexia nervosa is the most common eating disorder and is characterised by self-imposed starvation, usually by a high-functioning young woman. Those with anorexia have an intense fear of weight gain, a distorted body image, and a severely restricted food intake. They may binge and purge, and use laxatives, diuretics, and excessive exercise to lose weight. Bulimia nervosa, the second most common eating disorder, is characterised by a cycle of binging and purging through compensatory behaviours such as self-induced vomiting, using laxatives or enemas, excessive exercise, and restricting food and calories. Binge eating disorder is characterised by frequent, recurring episodes of eating large amounts of food, often very quickly, and unlike bulimia, those with binge eating disorder do not make themselves throw up, use laxatives, or over-exercise to compensate. ARFID is an eating disorder characterised by a significant aversion to food based on sensory characteristics, a lack of interest in eating, or a concern about aversive consequences of eating, such as stomach pain, vomiting, or choking.
There are many signs that parents can look out for that may indicate their child has an eating disorder. Children or adolescents with a possible eating disorder may exhibit the following behaviours:
- Showing extra preoccupations or concerns about their body image
- Spending extra time looking at food, counting calories, and preparing for a meal
- Isolating themselves, including eating alone
- Changing or restricting their diet
- Weighing themselves more frequently
- Putting excessive focus on healthy eating and the foods that they eat
- Hiding/sneaking food
- Refusal to participate in social events involving food
- Changes in their attitude and behaviour, such as increased crankiness, irritability, and isolation, and withdrawal from friends and activities
- Big changes in weight, eating habits, or exercise habits
- Severe weight loss, fear of gaining weight, and severe body image disturbances
- Frequent comments about weight/appearance, skipping meals, eating small portions, refusal to eat high-sugar, high-fat foods, and overall restrictive food intake
- Spending many hours exercising to burn off calories
- Extreme dieting
- Obsession over calorie counts, nutritional facts, and diets
- Losing weight unexpectedly and/or being dangerously thin
If you think your child might have an eating disorder, it is important to seek help from a medical professional and a mental health professional who specialises in treating eating disorders. It is also recommended to have a dietitian closely involved. Treatment includes nutrition counselling, medical care, and talk therapy (individual, group, and family therapy). When an eating disorder is caught early, a person has a better chance of recovery.
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Frequently asked questions
It is important to understand why you want to go on a diet. Friends, family, and the media can influence the way we see our bodies, and it is normal to feel pressured to lose weight. However, it is crucial to remember that people come in all shapes and sizes, and constant weight loss talk and dieting may lead to eating disorders. If you are concerned about your weight, talk to a trusted adult or a doctor.
Any diet that drastically cuts calories or does not provide essential nutrients is harmful. Extreme low-fat diets are unhealthy, and diets that cut out food groups, such as carbs, are difficult to stick to and often lack nutrients. Warning signs of an unhealthy diet include constantly feeling bad about your body, worrying about your weight, or feeling guilty when you eat.
Focus on healthy habits and a balanced diet. Include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein in your meals. Choose foods low in saturated fats, added sugars, and sodium. Drink water instead of sugary drinks, and pay attention to portion sizes.
Physical activity is an essential part of staying healthy and feeling good about yourself. Aim to be active every day by finding an activity you enjoy and incorporating it into your daily routine. Regular exercise can help you feel healthier and better about yourself.
If you are thinking about going on a diet, it is best to consult a doctor or a registered dietitian. They can help determine a healthy weight for you and design a safe and effective eating program. Your doctor may also refer you to a specialist if needed.
