By Sofia Segounis, Nutritionist

As a teenager, peer approval is critically important. All teens want to fit into a group of friends where they can feel secure and a sense of belonging. Unfortunately, with today’s emphasis on an ideal body image, overweight or obese teenagers face constant stares, comments and whispering that can interfere with living a normal teenage life.

In addition to psychological pressures, teenage obesity can also have detrimental effects on health. Diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol and high blood pressure are all common adult conditions that are now showing up in our youth. Consider some of the following statistics:

• 35% of boys are overweight in Canada
• 29% of girls are overweight in Canada
• 17% of boys are obese in Canada
• 15% of girls are obese in Canada
• 20% of childhood diabetes cases are now type 2 diabetes (adult-onset diabetes)
• Children spend an average of three to five hours per day in front of the TV or computer
• 42 to 63% of obese school-aged children will become obese adults

There are many factors that lead to a teen being obese, including: 

• Poor diet: Pop, refined flours such as white breads and pastas, frequent fast food; a good number of children eat fast food daily, adding up to six extra pounds per year.
• Inactivity: Playing video games, surfing the internet and watching TV; primary school children spend an average of 25 hours per week on the internet and playing video games.
• Genetics

How do I know if my child is overweight?
There are a few signs and tools that can be used to determine if your child is overweight.

BMI
Body mass index (BMI), calculates your body composition—height in relation to weight. For adults a healthy BMI range is 18.5 to 24.9. For children between the ages of 2 and 20, BMI is plotted on a graph against age. Children are ranked according to percentile. Click here for a BMI chart for boys and girls.

A child’s BMI chart can tell you if a child is over or underweight. You would not use BMI as an indicator of obesity as you would with adults due to the fact that a child’s body composition changes with age and as they mature their body fat changes.

• If the child ranks below the 5th percentile, they are considered to be underweight.
• If the child ranks within the 85th to 95th percentile, they are considered at risk of being overweight.
• If the child ranks over the 95th percentile, they are considered to be overweight.

When a child or teen is above the 95th percentile, they are more likely to become obese adults and are at risk for developing cardiovascular disease as a child.

Growth charts
There are two types of growth charts for children. The first growth chart indicates whether a child is growing and developing normally, while the second determines if a child is within a normal weight range. The growth chart that plots the child’s weight against their age will indicate if your child is overweight. Again, the child’s weight status is according to percentile. Click here to view a growth chart.

• If a child plots below the 5th percentile, they are considered to be underweight.
• If a child plots within the 85th to 95th percentile, they are considered at risk of becoming overweight.
• If a child plots over the 95th percentile, they are overweight.

Other measures of obesity
There are other non-clinical measures of obesity that can be used. In her book, Winning the Food Fight, Dr. Joey Shulman uses some basic tools of her own including:

• Can your child run to the bus or climb the stairs without losing her breath?
• Does she complain of low energy levels?
• Does she resist active play?
• Is her blood pressure within normal range?

These questions can be helpful in assessing your child’s physical condition. If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you may want to consult your doctor or healthcare practitioner for a physical checkup.

What can I do as a parent?
As a parent you should educate your teenagers by encouraging a healthy diet and plenty of activity. By stocking the cupboards with healthy food and engaging in family meals, parents can have a huge impact on their teen’s health and weight. In addition, a research study conducted on teens successfully demonstrated that a diet that is well balanced and contains foods that rank lower on the glycemic index helps to promote weight loss. Click here for details.

For tips on getting your child more active, visit the Truestar Exercise section. Truestar health also offers a weight loss program specifically for children and teens. Kids and teens must take a different approach to weight loss; they are still growing and developing and any strict limitation on food will likely turn them off. Click here to enter the kids and teens weight loss program.

References