Teens come in a variety of body shapes and sizes and develop at their own paces, so no single weight is ideal for every teen, according to the Nemours Center for Children's Health Media. Consult a health care professional to help determine a healthy weight range.
Puberty
When puberty hits, hormones initiate changes in the body that cause teens to gain weight. Guys can expect to become more muscular, girls will notice extra body fat and both may grow as much as 10 inches before reaching adult height, according to the Nemours Center.
Body Mass Index
Doctors use body mass index, or BMI, to screen teens for weight categories that might lead to poor health. BMI, calculated from weight and height, is plotted on a chart that averages BMI numbers for all teens of the same age and sex, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you fall under the 5th percentile for age and sex, you may be considered underweight, if your BMI is at the 5th percentile and below the 85th percentile you probably are at a healthy weight, if you fall at the 85th percentile and under the 95th percentile, you may be overweight, and if you are at or above the 95th percentile, you may be obese.
Body Fat
BMI does not measure body fat. For example, If you are thin, you may be deemed healthy by percentile even if you have too little body fat. Alternately, if you are an athletic teen with greater than average muscle mass, you may be deemed overweight. It takes a health care provider to determine that you should be tested for body fat. One such test is done by measuring skin folds with calipers.
The Full Assessment
A doctor can help determine whether you are in a healthy weight range by assessing your overall health and inquiring about family history, dietary choices and activity levels, according to Nemours. If a doctor decides that you should gain or lose some weight, he will recommend a diet and exercise regimen or refer you to a registered dietitian who can draw up a plan that meets your specific needs.
Warnings
How you eat now will affect your health for the rest of your life.
Beware of fad diets or weight loss plans that promise speedy results, because they typically don’t have lasting effects and can hold back your overall growth. Starving the body of nutrients and being underweight can lead to health problems such as osteoporosis early in life, according to Nemours. Also, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Association advises parents to observe their teens’ weight loss endeavors, as teens who embark upon extreme diets are more likely to make unhealthy eating and exercise choices, to use drugs and alcohol and to attempt suicide.
Conversely, overweight teens who don't improve their eating and exercise habits are at increased risk of multiple health complications. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, health complications linked with teen obesity include high blood pressure, diabetes, breathing problems, sleeping trouble and increased risk of heart disease. Furthermore, teen obesity is linked with increased risk of emotional problems such as anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.
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