One of the top concerns among teens, according to KidsHealth, is whether their weight is normal. Unlike adults, whose weight is charted based on height and gender, calculating children's body mass index, or BMI is complicated. Most 12-year-olds are going through puberty --- a time when the body makes hormones that cause significant physical changes, muscle growth and growth spurts. The average child can grow up to 10 inches before he reaches full adult size.
Step 1
See your pediatrician. Before a 12-year-old should start limiting calories, taking up an aggressive exercise regimen and attempt to lose weight, his pediatrician can chart his BMI and determine how much weight he should drop. A healthy size for a 142-pound 12-year-old female is 5-feet 8-inches; and 5-feet 9-inches for a boy.
Step 2
Regulate your calorie intake. A healthy 12-year-old girl should consume 1,600 to 2,000 calories a day; boys that age should eat 1,800 to 2,200 calories.
Step 3
Limit fat intake. A gram of fat contains nine calories. Total fat intake for a 12-year-old is 62 to 85 grams a day, or up to 25 percent of daily calorie intake, the Baylor College of Medicine states.
Step 4
Reduce the intake of saturated fats. Saturated fats, which are found in animal products like meat and dairy, should be less than 10 percent of a 12-year-old child's diet. Girls should consume no more than 18 to 22 grams of saturated fats; boys should limit their intake to no more than 20 to 24 grams.
Step 5
Eliminate trans fats. Trans fats, which are found in fast food and packaged baked goods, provide no nutritional value and are very high in calories. Eliminating these fats altogether, especially in kids who consume foods high in fat, can radically reduce his caloric intake.
Step 6
Exercise an hour every day. The Weight Loss Information Network reports that using an exercise bike or treadmill, lifting heavy weights or going on long jogs is appropriate for an adult. A 12-year-old should do activities he enjoys and is more likely to stick with, such as riding a bike, jumping rope or dancing.
Tips and Warnings
- A 4-feet 7-inch boy should weigh 65 to 90 lbs. A girl should weigh 64 to 94 lbs. A healthy weight for a 5-foot 3-inch boy is 85 to 119 lbs. A girl should weigh 84 to 123 lbs. By simply eliminating sugary drinks, which account for nearly 10 percent of calories consumed by kids, a 12-year-old can significantly reduce her calorie intake.
- A 12-year-old who is 4-feet 7-inches and weighs 142 lbs. has a BMI of 33 and is considered obese. At 5-feet 3-inches, a 142 lb. 12-year-old boy has a BMI of 25.2 and is considered obese; a 12 year-old girl is considered overweight at 142 lbs. with a BMI of 25.2. Nearly 40 percent of the calories consumed by kids, including 12-year-olds, are classified as empty calories, according to a 2010 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Ensure that your child gets enough physical activity. By the time they hit 12, most boys and girls aren't getting the recommended amount of physical activity, the Aurora, Colorado-based Children's Hospital reports.
References
- TeensHealth: What Is the Right Weight for My Height?
- The Children's Hospital: Teen Exercising Far Less Than Kids
- Baylor College of Medicine Daily Values vs. Nutritional Recommendations for Children; April 2004
- American Heart Association: Dietary Recommendations for Healthy Children; January 2011
- Journal of the American Dietetic Association: Dietary Sources of Energy, Solid Fats and Added Sugars Among Children and Adolescents in the United States; Jill Reedy, Ph.D.; May 2010
- Bloomberg BusinessWeek; U.S. Kids Using Media Almost 8 Hours a Day; Steven Reinberg; January 2010
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