Be Supportive

One of the most important things you can do to help overweight teenagers is to let them know that they are okay whatever their weight. Teenager's feelings about themselves often are based on their parents' feelings about them. If you accept your teenager at any weight, they will be more likely to accept and feel good about themselves. It is also important to talk to your teenager about weight, allowing them to share their concerns with you. Your teen probably knows better than anyone else that he or she has a weight problem. For this reason, overweight teenagers need support, acceptance, and encouragement from their parents.

 Focus On the Family

Parents should try not to set their teen apart because of their weight, but focus on gradually changing their family's physical activity and eating habits. Family involvement helps to teach everyone healthful habits and does not single out the overweight teen. 

Increase Your Family's Physical Activity.

Regular physical activity, combined with healthy eating habits, is the most efficient and healthful way to control your weight. It is also an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Some simple ways to increase your family's physical activity include the following:

Be a role model for your teenager. If your teen sees that you are physically active and have fun, they are more likely to be active and stay active for the rest of their lives.

Plan family activities that provide everyone with exercise and enjoyment, like walking, dancing, biking or swimming. For example, schedule a walk with your family after dinner instead of watching TV. Make sure that you plan activities that can be done in a safe environment.

Be sensitive to your teen's needs. Overweight teenagers may feel uncomfortable about participating in certain activities. It is important to help your teen find physical activities that they enjoy and that aren't embarrassing or too difficult.

Reduce the amount of time you and your family spend in sedentary activities, such as watching TV or playing video games.

Become more active throughout your day and encourage your family to do so as well. For example, walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator, or do some activity during a work or school break-get up and stretch or walk around.

The point is not to make physical activity an unwelcome chore, but to make the most of the opportunities you and your family have to be active. 

Teach Your Family Healthy Eating Habits.

Teaching healthy eating practices early will help teenagers approach eating with the right attitude-that food should be enjoyed and is necessary for growth, development, and for energy to keep the body running. The best way to begin is to learn more about teenager's nutritional needs by reading or talking with a health professional and then to offer them some healthy options, allowing your teenager to choose what and how much they eat. The pamphlet "Dietary Guidelines for Americans" is a good source of dietary advice for healthy Americans ages 2 years and older. This pamphlet is available from WIN.

 Here are some ways to help your teen develop good attitudes about eating.

Don't place your teen on a restrictive diet. Teenagers should never be placed on a restrictive diet to lose weight, unless a doctor supervises one for medical reasons. Limiting what teens eat may be harmful to their health and interfere with their growth and development. To promote proper growth and development and prevent overweight, parents should offer the whole family a wide variety of foods from each of the food groups displayed in the Food Guide Pyramid. The Food Guide Pyramid applies to healthy people ages 2 years and older. The Food Guide Pyramid illustrates the importance of balance among food groups in a daily eating pattern. Select most of your daily servings of food from the food groups that are the largest in the picture and closest to the bottom of the Pyramid. 

Most of the foods in your diet should come from the grain products group (6-11 servings), the vegetable group (3-5 servings), and the fruit group (2-4 servings). (See chart for suggested serving sizes.) Your diet should include moderate amounts of foods from the milk group (2-3 servings) and the meat and beans group (2-3 servings). Foods that provide few nutrients and are high in fat and sugars should be used sparingly.

 If you are unsure about how to select and prepare a variety of foods for your family, consult a physician or registered dietitian for nutrition counseling.

September 13, 2008