How Every Parent Can Fight Teen Obesity Podcast
Jennifer W. from West Bloomfield, MI thinks that fast food is the culprit. Teens so often make a choice for unhealthy food, simply because they don’t have the time to pick anything else. So Jennifer plans ahead. “If you know you're going to be 'on the go' during the week, prepare snacks ahead of time so they can grab a bag of sliced apples or peanut mix.” She also takes her 14-year-old daughter to the grocery store and has her read labels. One evening a week, her teen makes dinner. “We all agree on the menu—it's something she feels good about and at the same time tries something new.” Jennifer spends the time teaching her daughter how to prepare snacks and meals so that if she isn’t around, her teen still makes a healthy choice out of habit.
It Takes a Household
We’ve all seen the headlines. Childhood obesity is on the rise and is reaching epidemic proportions. One-third of all adolescents have a body weight that exceeds recommended cutoffs, putting them at risk for a host of medical complications including high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, and sleep apnea. The psychological and social consequences of obesity are equally devastating.
Although there is much debate among experts about how to help teens live a healthy lifestyle, experts do agree on one thing: parents play a critical role. They can influence what their teens eat at home, what foods they pack for lunches/snacks, and how they spend some of their free time. Molly T., a 16-year-old from Wellesley, MA, agrees, “As a teenager, I still rely on my parents to balance my eating habits, mostly for dinner.”
But you can’t push too hard! Rebecca B. a registered dietitian from Greenbelt, MD and the mother of a 15-year-old daughter points out, “If a mom gets really upset when her teen overeats sweets, the teen may start to overeat sweets even more. Sneaking food and overeating food is not uncommon.”
Parents should adopt an approach that doesn’t leave a teen feeling singled out or punished. Instead of just focusing directly on your teen, think about how to modify the entire household.