Overweight teenager: what to do?
Overweight teenager, how to act? Some teenagers tend to overeat, which sometimes justifies drastic weight gain. This is a very difficult situation for both the teenager concerned and his parents. So let’s try to look more closely at this problem, which is affecting more and more young people who are growing up.
The causes of overweight in adolescents
• Genetic and physical factors
Hereditary factorsandmetabolismare sometimes the cause of overweight in some young adolescents. Parents need to quickly take matters into their own hands when their child’s weight rises alarmingly. In principle, parents shouldmonitor the balance of their childrenespecially if there is a risk of obesity in the family. Even if the causes are genetic, weight loss in overweight adolescents mustbe gradual. The goal offood rebalancingis not an excessive and immediate loss of pounds, but rather a reassessment of eating behavior.
• Poor food hygiene
Poor eating habitsare one of the main causes of overweight in adolescents. Some children feel bad about themselves eat tocompensate for emotional emptinessor to no longer feel suffering. However, it is important to adopt ahealthy and balanced diet from an early age. The child himself must be involved in the composition of his meals as well as in the errands to be done toavoid frustrations and restrictions. The nutritionist or dietician should prescribe a diet that takes into account the tastes and preferences of the adolescent.
• Environmental causes
It is recommended to have exchanges with your teen to better understand his difficulties and thereasons for his overeating. In addition, it is observed that the younger generation tends to wall themselves in passive activities such as television, telephone or computer screen. These distractions, however, are not the best suited to this age of life. The growing adolescent mustmove and play sportsdifferently, he maysuffer discrimination related to his weight.
BMI calculation
The BMI or Body Mass Index of the teenageris a measurement indicator which makes it possible to analyze the risks related to overweight. Indeed, weight alone is not enough to diagnose a risk of obesity. To calculate the BMI, divide the weight in kilos by the height in square meters (BMI = weight (kg) / height (m2). The BMI must take into account the sex of the individual as well as the evolution of the child on the growth curve established by scientists. The WHO defines the criteria for interpreting the BMI.
If your teenager’s BMI is higher than the recommended standard, do not hesitate to seek the advice of his doctorto find out the impact of his weight on his health. Your doctor will certainly recommend anappropriate diet program for his age to lose weight gently.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.