Teen Obesity is Reaching Epidemic Proportions

Teen obesity has been on the rise since the 1970’s and is now becoming an epidemic. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention up to 16.3% of children ages 2 to 19 are considered obese and another 15% are considered overweight. That’s almost a third of children in the danger zone.

With obesity comes the potential for risk of suffering diseases associated with metabolic syndrome such as:

High blood pressure Arthritis Asthma Gallstones Fatty liver Diabetes and Insulin resistance High cholesterol Sleep apnea Shortened lifespan

There are additional psychological risks associated with teen obesity such as:

Low self-esteem Poor self-image Depression Anxiety

Overweight and Obesity Tools

Health care professionals generally use the Body Mass Index, or BMI, to determine if a child is overweight or obese. It takes into account the teens age, sex, height and weight.

Obesity occurs when their BMI is higher than 95% of other teens of the same sex and age. They are considered overweight teens if their BMI is between 85% and 95% of other teens of the same gender and age group.

How to Manage Your Teens Weight

It’s never too late to teach your teen good nutritional habits. Once established, they constitute a lifestyle change for better health. Practicing what you preach is also a good idea if your own eating habits are less than ideal.

Portion Control

When dining out, split an entrée between two people. Serving sizes in restaurants these days are huge. Some of these meals have more calories in them than you require in a day let alone a meal. You’ll have the added bonus of a smaller bill!

When eating at home, portion the meals onto dinner plates in the kitchen area instead of putting serving dishes on the table. This tactic can help avoid second and third helpings.

Snacking Do’s and Don’ts

Don’ts – Avoid buying cookies, cakes, chips, and pop. These have very little nutritional value and cause fat gain. They digest quickly causing a spike in blood sugar. These foods should be eaten sparingly on special occasions. That’s why they’re called treats.

Do’s – Always have fruit, low-fat cheese, and nuts on hand for healthy snacks. They have high nutritional value and digest slowly keeping you fuller longer. Having a healthy snack between meals keeps your blood sugar steady and your metabolism humming.

Physical Activity for Teen Obesity

We live in an electronic world of TV, computers, DVD’s of our favorite movies and video games. While this keeps teens occupied, they are not getting enough physical activity. They require at least 60 minutes of activity a day, however more is better. After all, they are still developing.

The developmental health benefits of physical activity to combat teen obesity include:

Weight management A more stable blood pressure Strengthened bones and supporting tissues Increased self-esteem Reduced stress and anxiety

In the fight to reduce teen obesity, you must lead by example. Get active with your child. Learn and teach them about nutrition. Their life depends on it.


footer for Teen Obesity page