Obesity affects up to 33 percent of young children and adolescents, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Excess weight slows teens down and causes health problems in the future. A healthy weight loss plan can help a teen take off the weight and maintain a healthier weight long-term.
Overweight & Obese Ranges
The body mass index, known as BMI, assesses a person's body fat indirectly using height and weight for the calculation. The BMI helps determine if a child is underweight, normal, overweight or obese. Because they are still growing, children and teen BMI ranges also take into consideration age. Percentiles are used rather than straight BMI numbers when determining overweight or obese ranges to accommodate the age differences. A teen who falls between the 85th and 94th percentile for his age is considered overweight. A teen who is in the 95th percentile or higher is considered obese.
Factors
Several factors lead teens to gaining excessive weight. A poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle are two primary factors. Teens tend to spend long periods of time watching TV, playing video games and sitting at the computer, all of which limit the physical activity they get. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, other potential factors include stress, life changing events, social problems, low self-esteem and depression. Medical causes include certain illnesses that affect the endocrine system and medications like steroids and certain psychiatric medications. Getting the root cause of weight gain under control helps the teen lose weight more efficiently.
Weight Loss
A weight loss plan for the teen gives her a framework for shedding the extra pounds. Teens need healthy food to fuel their bodies for proper development and to stay focused. The plan should include both healthy dietary changes and regular physical activity. Help your teen create a schedule for meals and snacks so he isn't tempted to skip eating. Add in exercise to the schedule if your teen isn't already involved in a team sport or other regular physical activity.
Parent Support
Parents who provide support enable their teens to stay focused on the weight loss plan. Start with a conversation about your teen's weight and the type of health problems the extra weight can cause. Encourage your teen to talk about her feelings and concerns about weight loss. Discuss unrealistic images of ideal weight to help your teen understand healthy and realistic weight loss. Trying new healthy recipes together, exercising as a family and providing continuous support helps your teen during the process.
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