According to 2008 statistics published by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, over 18 percent of teens in America are considered to be obese based upon their body mass index. The prevalence of overweight---not obese---teenagers is even higher. In order to combat these alarming statistics, teens need to focus on eating healthy, well-balanced meals and avoiding unhealthy, sugary snacks.
Fresh Food Diet
Ever since the explosion of fast-food restaurants and pre-packaged sugary snacks hit the market in the latter part of the 20th century, teenagers developed a tendency to eat convenience foods rather than healthier fresh foods. Sugary snacks and sodas contain little or none of the nutritional value that teens need in order to grow and develop properly as well as maintain a healthy bodyweight. An efficient way for teens to lose weight is by focusing on eating only fresh foods, such as vegetables, fruits, low-fat or nonfat dairy products and a limited amount of lean meat and fish. Also important is to switch from breakfast cereals high in sugar to those containing whole grains, high fiber and all-natural ingredients. Eliminating sugary snacks and drinks from a teen's diet can cut out 500 or more calories per day, or the equivalent of one pound of weight loss per week. Eating three to five small meals per day consisting of fresh foods will help to keep a teen's energy level high and keep them feeling full throughout the day.
Vegetarian Diet
The American Dietetic Association is in full support of a vegetarian diet for kids, teens and adults alike. The only caveat is that it must be planned correctly. Specifically, the following vitamins and nutrients are often lacking in a non-meat diet: protein, n-3 fatty acids, iron, iodine, zinc, vitamin D, calcium and vitamin B-12. Teens can get an adequate amount of these vitamins and nutrients as long as a well-balanced vegetarian diet is planned out correctly. This includes healthy portions of beans/legumes, nuts, leafy vegetables, kale, iodized salt, peas, soy milk, wheat germ and foods enriched with vitamin D, B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids. In some cases, it may be necessary to supplement some of these vitamins and nutrients, although you should always consult your doctor before taking any supplement.
MyPyramid Plan
In an effort to reduce the rate of childhood obesity in America, the U.S. Department of Agriculture created the MyPyramid Plan for kids and teens. This free online tool allows teens and parents a quick and easy way to produce a diet plan for both maintaining a healthy weight and for weight loss purposes. The USDA MyPyramid Plan focuses on eating a well-balanced diet consisting of whole grains, veggies, fruit, low-fat dairy, limited sweets, lean meats and fats. The MyPyramid plan bases each personalized diet plan on the teen's age, gender, height, weight and average daily physical activity level. Based on those attributes, MyPyramid will figure out the exact number of calories that the teen should be eating each day, as well as the types/amounts of food they should focus on, in order to get down to a healthy weight.
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