A healthy diet provides your body with a good balance of nutritious food to keep your body strong, energized and well nourished, according to the Center for Young Women's Health. Unfortunately many teenagers fall short in this quest. Among adolescents aged 12 to 19, obesity increased from 5 to 18.1 percent between 1976 to 1980, and 2007 to 2008, two time periods when statistics were collected, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.
Ramifications
Overweight children and teenagers face serious ramifications, including increased health problems, both during youth and as an adult, the CDC says. "During their youth, obese children and adolescents are more likely to have risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes, than are other children and adolescents."
Obese children and teenagers also are more likely to become obese as adults, the CDC reports. "One study found that approximately 80 percent of children who were overweight at aged 10 to 15 years were obese adults at age 25 years," the CDC website noted. "Another study found that 25 percent of obese adults were overweight as children. The latter study also found that if being overweight begins before 8 years of age, obesity in adulthood is likely to be more severe."
Considerations
The appropriate caloric intake for a teenager depends on his or her activity level and gender, according to registered dietitian Amy Gardner. A teenage girl needs somewhere between 1,800 and 2,400 calories a day, the higher end reflecting needs for a very active lifestyle, Gardner says, while the range for a teenage boy is 2,200 to 3,200 calories.
Caloric Intake
A caloric restriction below the ranges 2,400 for teenage girls and 3,300 for teenage boys may be necessary for adolescents who fall above the 95th percentile meeting the criteria for obesity. "But this would be done under close supervision by a dietitian and/or a weight management team," Gardner says.
"It is important to know that even if an adolescent is overweight, the goal is to maintain weight while he/she grows in height, thereby placing the child in a lower percentile for BMI," or body mass index.
Fats
Gardner recommends teenagers keep fat intake between 20 and 35 percent of calories consumed and saturated fat under 10 percent. These figures should be the same for adults, she says.
The Big Picture
The best way to determine appropriate portions from each food group is to use the MyPyramid plan tool offered by the Unites States Department of Agriculture based on the food guide pyramid, Gardner says. The goal should be to look at overall intake of food groups over the course of a week, Gardner adds. "As long as a teenager is averaging out to the appropriate calorie range and food group portions, the diet is healthy."
Parental Influence
Parents are responsible for a good portion of a teenager's food intake.The teenager should have some independence and the chance to talk to his parents about choices, according to Gardner. "Parents can make sure to provide a good variety of healthy foods including plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean proteins at meals and stock the cabinets with healthy snacks," Gardner says. Allow treats in moderation, she adds, or it may lead to over-consumption of these foods at other times.
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