Health Topics

Teens are affected by bigger appetites, busy schedules, peer pressure and struggles for independence. Teens tend to snack, skip meals, eat out frequently and consume a lot of soft drinks.

Overweight / Obesity

About 16% of adolescents are overweight. One study showed that only 1% of adolescents meet the national recommendations for healthy eating. To prevent or correct unhealthy weight gain, try these tips:

• Provide easy to grab snacks such as fruit, yogurt, hummus, veggies, low-fat cottage cheese and string cheese
• Make time for family meals
• Avoid more than 2 hours/day of TV, computer and video games
• Parents and/or caregivers set a good example in food choices and exercise
• Encourage help with grocery shopping and cooking

Body Image and Dieting

Dieting is a common concern for teens. They may feel unhealthy pressure from peers to be thin and to limit what they eat. Some teens may diet to “make weight” for a particular sporting or social event. Diet trends can lead to unhealthy behaviors such as restricting, skipping meals, taking diet pills and/or purging. It is important that the major focus on teen athletes should be health not performance. Contact your child’s health care provider if you have any concerns about disordered eating.

Calcium and Vitamin D

Many teens simply do not get enough. Adolescents need 1,300 mg of calcium and 400 IU of Vitamin D daily. This comes from milk, yogurt and cheese, but also greens, tofu and calcium-fortified juices and cereals.

Breakfast

Skipping breakfast is common for teens with busy schedules. Kids who eat breakfast, however, tend to be able to concentrate more and make better grades in school. Breakfast also jump-starts your metabolism for the day. Here are some breakfast ideas:

• Peanut butter on whole wheat toast or English muffin
• Low-fat cottage cheese with fruit and whole wheat toast
• 1 scrambled egg and low-fat cheese on a whole wheat English muffin
• Granola bar (<9 grams sugar and >3 grams fiber)
• Peanut butter on a banana
• Fruit smoothie
• Oatmeal with low-fat or skim milk 

Eating Out

Teens make food choices based upon hunger, appeal for food, time and convenience. Encourage teens to make healthy options when eating out. Many restaurants have websites which offer nutrition facts. Many fast food restaurants offer salads, low-fat milk, fruit and yogurt.