Healthy Weight | Help Your Teen Maintain A Healthy Weight

Each teen is special and develops at a different rate. Like adults, children and teens come in many different sizes and shapes, but the way a child or teen grows tells us a great deal about their health. If a teen is having problems with health or nutrition, growth is often affected.

How Do You Know if Your Teen Is a Healthy Weight?

The body mass index is a number calculated from a child’s height and weight. The BMI is used as a screening tool to identify possible weight concerns in children that may lead to health problems. For children and teens, the body mass index is age- and gender-specific and is often referred to as BMI-for-age.

For children, the BMI is used to screen for obesity, as well as overweight, healthy weight or underweight. It is not a diagnostic tool as your child may be taller or shorter, heavier or lighter than other children of the same age.

Changes in a child’s height and weight generally follow a regular pattern. Irregular patterns — gaining weight faster than usual or losing weight too quickly — need to be addressed.

Measure a teen’s height and weight regularly, at least once a year for adolescents, to recognize the pattern of growth that is normal for them. Remember that children mature at different ages and girls generally mature earlier than boys. Teens can be sensitive about their changing bodies and parents need to tell their kids that this process is normal. Reassuring words will have a positive influence on how your teen feels about his or her body and individual growth pattern.

Many parents don’t realize their teen may be at an unhealthy weight. If you are unsure, see your family physician or a registered dietitian. In the meantime, the website for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov) has a useful BMI calculator for kids ages two to 19. After the teen’s body mass index is calculated, it’s plotted on a BMI-for-age growth chart for either girls or boys to obtain a percentile ranking.

The BMI percentile shows how your teen’s weight compares to that of other children of the same age and sex. For example, if a BMI-for-age percentile is 65 per cent, this indicates the child’s weight is greater than 65 per cent of other children of the same age and sex. Based on an expert committee’s recommendations, a healthy weight ranges widely between the fifth and the 85th percentile.

Should My Teen Go on a Diet?

Many teens try to lose weight in unhealthy ways. They’re often drawn to fad diets, skip meals or omit entire food groups — all of which is harmful to their growth and development. Teens who diet often feel tired, unable to concentrate and may become anemic. Many who are at a healthy weight try to slim down, often when they’re not feeling good about themselves, or are unable to control certain aspects of their life, such as school and peers.

Dieting should be monitored as it sometimes leads to bigger eating problems. If your child talks about being fat even if he’s not overweight, weighs himself often, and focuses on food, exercise and counting calories, he may have an eating problem. If you suspect an eating problem, speak with your doctor or visit The National Eating Disorder Information Centre website at nedic.ca.

What Can I Do to Help My Teen Eat Better?

Be a role model when it comes to eating and physical activity. Model healthy eating patterns and food choices without trying to be perfect. Do not diet. Keep healthy foods on hand. Provide healthy lunches and dinners, even if you’re not around.

Involve your child in planning meals, shopping and cooking. Be involved in your teen’s individual menu plan. Have a family meal routine and try to eat and relax together at least once a day.

Be active regularly because it feels good, not just for weight control. Be sure the family avoids making weight-related comments about themselves and others.

The best way to maintain a healthy weight is through healthy eating and a physically active lifestyle. If your teen is far above or below his or her healthy weight range, he or she may need to consult with a registered dietitian to assess where appropriate changes can be made.

Slim Down Government for a healthier America

All recalls the remark of HL Mencken "The urge to save humanity is almost always choose the wrong face for the urge of humanity." No one can seriously claim that t is the fact that obesity doesn 'for a little danger, a large number of unsubstantiated claims greatly exaggerated the health risks. For example, Mrs. Obama said that our common life downward spiral in the wake of Big Macs and Whoppers, so that "In fact, our average life expectancy (at birth) increased much more than a century, from 46.3 years for men and 48 . 3 years for women in 1900 to 75.1 for men and 80, 2 for women in 2006 Note also lost the remarkable decrease in employment in diseases related to obesity such as heart disease – a decrease of 31 percent – and cancer – a decline of 29 percent.

For all the talk of an "epidemic" of obesity in the United States can no longer hold, but remained constant in the last five years for men and nearly 10 years for women and children, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Perhaps the misconception of fat alarmists is that regulation will solve this problem. In reality, the government is a major cause of the footprint of the country more calories. Researchers have documented higher rates of obesity in food stamps recipients, even after controlling for socioeconomic status. And beneficiaries who remained in the program, the harder they are. Mrs. Obama also complained that the public schools for packing the pounds – and his campaign for more state control cafeterias instead of negligence.

The true causes of obesity has risen far above the influence of the government – unless or until the banning of all bureaucrats, low-calorie products and follow all of our meals. Not that he tried. The State of California and have in the cities of New York and Philadelphia using food restaurants banned oils contain trans fats. Proposals for soft drinks and other junk food are also accelerated tax. Current tasks FTC also raised the specter of federal against food advertising. Obviously ignores the agency officials to the fact that parents, children, control of the kitchen – is not this illegal in America – to varying degrees. When the children see a lot less food advertising than in the past, because of cable TV, digital video recorders, game consoles and the Internet.

With the launch of its campaign against obesity in February was the first lady refreshing openness about the limitations of the government – despite its recent actions. "There is no expert on this planet, that people in government, do very well to say no problem, s says, '" she said.

About the Author

Diane Katz is a researcher in the field of regulatory policy at the Heritage Foundation. www.heritage.org: Readers can the author in care of the Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20002, writing web site. Details of the heritage funding can be found in this test is McClatchy-Tribune News Service stands. McClatchy-Tribune does not subsidize the writing of this column are the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of McClatchy-Tribune or its editors.