Overweight teenagers run a greater risk of being obese as adults, which puts them at greater risk of developing any number of obesity-related diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart disease. The Weight-Control Information Network, WIN, of the National Institutes of Health point out that in 2004 over 17 percent of American teens were overweight. Teens can start losing weight by making just small lifestyle changes.
Reduce Sugar Intake
Sugar contains a relatively high number of empty calories. Empty calories contain no nutritional value, so they often get stored as fat when consumed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Nutrient Database lists regular granulated sugar as having 3.87 calories per gram. When you consider many varieties of regular soda contain 65 g or more sugar, you can consume over 250 calories by consuming a single 20 oz. bottle of soda. Avoid added sugars in cereals, soda/juice and pre-packaged foods.
Play a Sport
Playing sports is an excellent way to not only help you lose weight but also to improve your cardiovascular and bone health. The most active sports, like basketball and soccer, are the best choices because they allow your body to burn the most calories. If you're not into sports, you can alternatively use activities such as dancing, cycling or rollerblading to burn calories and keep your metabolism high. Mary L. Gavin, M.D., of the non-profit organization Teens Health suggests aiming for 60 minutes of physical activity each day.
Limit TV/Computer
You burn very few calories playing video games, watching TV or surfing the Internet when compared to doing anything active. According to the University of Washington, the average teen watches 20 hours of TV each week. If about 3 hours daily of TV and computer activity sounds pretty accurate for you, try cutting that number in half; instead, spend those 90 minutes doing something active. For example, a 150-lb. teen can burn 675 calories for 90 minutes of rollerblading, according to the ToneTeen website.
Don't Skip Meals
While it may make sense that skipping meals eliminates calories from your diet, that logic is entirely untrue. According to Teens Health, teens that skip breakfast have higher body mass index scores on average. The reason is because starving yourself often causes you to binge on food later, so you end up eating more calories anyway. Additionally, skipping meals can slow your metabolism and cause your body to start storing calories as fat rather than burning them as energy.
References
- Weight-Control Information Network: Take Charge of your Health -- A Guide for Teenagers; August, 2009
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Nutrient Database
- Teens Health: How Can I Lose Weight Safely?; Mary L. Gavin, MD; Feb., 2009
- Teen Health and the Media: Television is a Major Part of Daily Life
- ToneTeen.com: Calories Burned
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