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Home › Articles › Health › Hope for Overweight Teens

Hope for Overweight Teens

Putting an End to Childhood Obesity

By Kendeyl Johansen

Pages:  1  2  3  4  

Linda Morris battles negative reinforcement from her son's high school. "My oldest son, who is a 6-foot, 4-inch sophomore and weighs 250 pounds, was recently told by the football coach that he would like to see him reach 275 to 300 pounds by the time he becomes a senior in high school." As a nurse, Morris was appalled by the coach's suggestion.

Eat Smart, but How?
"The development of permanent lifestyle changes is the main goal of pediatric weight management programs, not necessarily weight loss," says Deborah Bonnell, clinical nutritionist at Children's Hospital in Birmingham, Ala. "Adult weight management programs may be inappropriate for children, given their need for growth and development."

Bonnell encourages parents to set a positive example by practicing healthy living through diet and exercise. "A parent cannot expect their child to adhere to a healthy lifestyle if they, themselves, do not practice a healthy lifestyle." She adds that it's important to combat obesity in children early; obese adolescents often become obese adults.

Bonnell recommends that families stick to three meals and two or three snacks per day with age-appropriate serving sizes of food. Meals should consist of three to four food servings and snacks should be smaller portions of one or two servings. "No food is out of the question; it depends on how often and how much you consume a high-fat, high-sugary food. Moderation is the key," she says.

Bonnell offers several suggestions for teen-friendly snacks: