Teen Weight Issues

A Harvard University study in 2000 found that 90 percent of teenage girls think frequently about their body shape and that 86 percent of teenage girls are or think they should be dieting. These numbers apply across the board, regardless of how close to the "ideal" body weight the teenagers actually are. With so many teenagers perceiving themselves as a less-than-ideal weight, it's important to be tuned in and sensitive when dealing with any teens who might be suffering form weight issues.

Self-Esteem and Body Image

A teenager's perception of her own body is a bigger factor in her likeliness of suicidal tendencies than her actual weight. Teenagers who think they are overly fat or too skinny are twice as likely to consider or attempt suicide. It is important to surround teens with positive examples of body image. Parents who are overly concerned about weight or appearances can play a huge role in whether their children will have a distorted body image. Changes to a teenager's body due to puberty or growth spurts can also make them feel uncomfortable or ugly as proportions change and prepubescent bodies begin to fill out.

Weight concerns are also exacerbated by an unhealthy obsession with being thin by the media. Tabloids frequently feature headlines about celebrity weight loss and gain. Ad campaigns feature models whose entire rib cages can be seen. Some teen girls keep photos for "thinspiration" in journals. There is a subculture of teens that don't believe eating disorders are a disorder at all, merely a lifestyle choice, and feel marginalized and misunderstood by people who insist that their lifestyle is wrong. Such communities are called pro-ana (for pro-anorexia) or pro-mia (for pro-bulemia). Pro-ana and pro-mia sites, often written by teens, offer instructions for weight loss using starvation and purging. When teenagers are surrounded by these influences and the average weight population is so rarely featured in magazines or movies, there are few positive mainstream role models available.

Diet

Eating a well-balanced diet with an appropriate number of calories for each person's body weight is essential. While dieting can be necessary for overweight teens, the focus of the diet should be on a healthy lifestyle and not weight loss. Correcting dietary problems is equally important in underweight teens. Establishing healthy eating habits will benefit teenagers for the rest of their lives. Teens should eat breakfast to kick-start their metabolism, eat high-fiber and whole-wheat products and eat fresh fruit. Many high schools offer nutritional counseling or can refer someone who can give a teen an outline of healthy eating habits to work on.

Exercise

It is recommended that teenagers get an hour of physical activity per day. Even people who aren't showing signs of weight loss or gain often feel better about their bodies just knowing they put in the required effort. For less athletically inclined teenagers, there are even video games that require movement or dance that will provide exercise. Something as simple as a combination of required physical education in school and taking the dog for a quick morning and evening walk will add up to the recommended hour a day. Excessive or compulsive exercise can be a sign of something more serious and should be addressed.

Warning Signals

Teenagers who suffer from a negative body image and weight issues are more likely to have eating disorders. Unhealthy habits in teenagers, such as skipping meals, dieting, compulsive exercise, binge eating or even something as subtle as the regular expression of dissatisfaction with his appearance may be signs of a serious problem. School counselors are trained to help deal with eating disorders and hotlines are available for teens who want more anonymity in the help they seek. Eating disorders or depression brought on by feeling unattractive can be very serious and may require professional help.