Kids Should NOT Diet!

Hi Everyone,

I'm concerned about all of the REALLY young people on this site, who are looking to lose weight.  I mean, I have already encountered several 13 and 14 year olds who are like 100 pounds and who think that they are fat.  Its ludicrous.  And its quite frightening since these people are still growing, and they should not be skimping on nutrients.  Plus, they could be developing eating disorders that will destroy their lives.

I know that there isn't anything that we can do, but I really don't think that these kids should be encouraged to count calories and do rigorous cardio workouts.  They should have healthy lifestyles, but they should also enjoy being young.  Its getting frustrating to read these posts.

Does anyone else agree with me on this?  13 and counting calories.  I feel like I was still playing tag at this age (or atleast frisbee!) and loving it.

IF they need to lose weight for health reasons, then fair enough - at least its a healthy way to do it and not just starve yourself. 

Well, depends.  I was watching a documentry the other night about obese children.  Sometimes they do need to lose weight.  I agree though with you....if they are 13 and weigh 100 lbs there is a danger there. 

I dunno. I think any time is a good time to learn nutrition. I started starving myself at 11 because I thought it was the only way to lose weight (and I was overweight at the time) I like that young ppl can come here and learn the right way to eat... I just think we need to remember to remind them that kids need more calories and should switch what they are eating, and not eat less.

Amen to that! If children are seriously overweight then they need to contact a doctor, and not solicit advise off of the internet.  It concerns me too!

I think having health in mind as a child is ok. As in I'll have that ornage instead of that chocolate bar, but coutning calories is wrong, as it is a complex thing (tho eseentially its simple, you've got net intake, minus exercise, you need to weigh things and take into account rules can be broken)

You dont leanr about nutrition through calorie counting - unhelathy foods lacking nutrients often have low cals too. Kids need more nutrition to grow- they dont need to be clogged up picking between sugar free jelly at 32 cals for 500g or an apple  for 50 cals. I know which one I'd pick as a kid .

I have no qalms if people want to teach their kids about the food pyramid, stressing 'sometimes foods' etc and encourage exercise (even if you use as an incentive) but kids are better of loosing wiegh thorugh exercise thatn counting cals.

i was thinking about this earlier.. and a lot of the people who are concerned there bodies are seriously changing at this age. You cant mix up being over weight with your body changing. They should really teach nutrition along with when they discuss how the bodies are changing lesson. Weight should def be along in the curriculum so kids know that 100 pounds is not big!!

I am all for children or young people knowing about nutrition and healthy choices, don't get me wrong.  I was raised in one of those "health nut" houses.  Everything was organic and we didn't keep soda in the house.  We learned to make healthy food choices by enjoying the beauty of food and savoring flavors and spices, etc.  I think that it is wonderful when children are educated about these things.  And yes, in our "fast-food nation" (pardon the cliche') obesity is a huge problem.  It just scares me when young people have distorted body images. 

Everyone is growing up so fast these days that it seems like children don't have childhoods.  Bike riding is starting to seem like a thing of the past.  And nutrition education should start in the home! 

im 16, and personally let me tell you, your right...

coutning calories almost killed me and damaged me. i was 30 pounds overweight at one point, i was ridculed for being slower and out of shape. Only for 30 pounds too, anyway i lost it all one summer. even when i reached 120 pounds, my healthy weight, i was so flaccid and loose, i felt terrible, so i kept losing more and more weight.

I became so OCD about food and calories that i restrcted alot, for mounths.... i became too underweight, espeically at a point where i am acutally starting to grow rapidly ( until about 2 years ago, or less i grew inchs.) Perrsonally im afraid i stoped or hurt my growth, and atm im gaining weight back. My metabolism is very large at this point, and i burn more than most my height or weight, agian, testimate to the fact that im grapidly growing.

IF i could go back in time, i would not lose weight or count calories, it took so long to barly get away from calories. i still count them, and doubt i ever will stop fully, i dont count everything, but its probably never going to go away.

final note: teenagers espeically shouldnt lose weight unless it seroiusly hurts thier health to be obese. IE: heart attack, etc.

But for kids like me, who were simply chubby, to go and Ravage thier bodys to obtain a sillly body image, well that should NEVER BE ENCOURAGED! Parents should let chubby kids fully grow first, never enocurage them to worry about calories.

And this is coming from a victim of teenage self esteem and weight.

Hi, I'm with everyone. I'm 16 5'2'' and weight 138. When I went to the doctors my bmi was slightly overweight, with my familly history I have a great chance of becoming overweight in later years. Where all my weight falls is in my stomach and legs,so my doctor and I had a talk and figured if I stayed at 130-125 I would be alot better off. BUT my wight loss is tracked with my doctor! and I have to do a self image test every so often. and anyways I love my body and if theres ever a day that I dont feel in tip top shape my boyfriend always tells me how perfect I am and I always feel better. but 13 year olds, if its through a doctor and they need it ok but other than that its just wrong.

From personal experience, if someone is on a diet at 100lbs its often about more that just the weight food/issue

Here's a great thread with lots of good information!

Weight Management for Kids/Teens

I'm 15 years old, 4'11", and about 117-122 pounds. I have been at this site for 2 months and counting calories and stuff but it just hasn't helped. And I'm not some super-skinny almost-anorexic girl obsessed with being thin. I'm actually bordering on overweight and being short makes me look even fatter. I hate not being able to wear everything I want.
So, coming to the point, teenagers like me should be eating healthy and exercising more. And let me tell you - some people have this picture in their mind of a teenager who can eat whatever he/she wants and not get fat - that is so not true. We teens are overweight too. And it doesn't help when adults go all "You're a kid, you can eat what you want. Dieting is not for people your age." Not every kid trying to lose weight is unhealthily underweight. Open your eyes, adults, and please, stop lecturing us. 

Amani,

You are absolutely correct that teenagers should be eating healthy and exercising more - I don't think anyone is suggesting otherwise.  I think what you perceive as "lecturing" is the general concern that a lot of adults have when they see someone who has such a concern over their weight that it could, or has, lead to unhealthy habits or an eating disorder.  Being overweight is unhealthy, but developing an eating disorder is too. A  lot of adults here are speaking from experience, and have recovered from an eating disorder, so you might want to consider this when you see adamant pleas for moderation and emphasis on health.

I applaud any teenager who strives to be more healthy, especially when it involves educating yourself as to what's healthy, what's not, and how your body works.  I hope that's what you're striving for.  If you need any resource suggestions, please ask! (although the best resources would be a doctor, nutritionist, or school counselor)  :-)

While there are teenagers on this site that aren't trying to lose weight (like me! : P) or ones that are going about it sensibly and actually need to, I do agree that the vast majority take things too seriously or go about it in the wrong way. Teenagers shouldn't be having just 1200 calories a day; they're still growing! To just listen and watch a bunch of misguided children who, when they weigh 90-100 pounds, insist they are fat, ugly, and overweight....I'm sorry; that just drives me crazy. The same with teens posting pictures merely to get compliments; I totally support adults posting pictures of their incredible journeys and improvement (quite amazing, actually), but it seems to me quite a few people my age just want flattery. I've worked since I was about 13 very hard in attempting to get people to take me seriously, despite my age. People like that just destroy everything I've been trying to do, when it's difficult enough not to be judged by physical appearance. I know nobody here is grouping all teenagers or all adults together, so I do understand your point, and agree completely.

I know being a teenager is tough- too much pressure from the media, peers, and even parents. I know it's enough to make anybody self-conscious, and drive many to EDs. But, I don't support giving people with EDs the tools to help them lose more weight. (Note: Getting over an ED is different) When I first started on this site, I didn't need to lose weight at all, yet I insisted upon counting every calorie, despite my metabolism and genetics being very skinny. It was miserable, and I hated it- I didn't allow myself any fun, and I didn't enjoy food. After a few weeks, I realized what an idiot I was and just stopped. I'm still eating the right things, but I don't count calories, and I treat myself to junk-- that's part of being a teenager for heaven's sake! At this age, I'll admit it- it's too easy to be influenced by what others around you are doing.

Honestly, I don't really know what should be done. I like being on this site, finding all sorts of yummy recipes, getting help on health related things, and getting questions answered in the fitness forum. I enjoy talking to other people and just being in a chatting environment with such friendly people. Furthermore, I do like getting a better handle of my life and just being a healthier person; I don't want to end up like generations past of massively overweight people with health problems due to all this fast food, junk, and hidden calories, and I want to change what happens in the future, or this country and the world will have some serious problems. But if it would help others stop taking their eating habits too far, and if it would be of any benefit in all in getting people my age or younger off this site, I'll leave and I won't be offended. I just know something needs to be done.

I agree with santonacci.  In high school I was about 5'3'' and weighed 125lbs.  Not only is that a perfectly healthy weight, but when I look at pictures of myself at that age I realize that I was tiny!  Nevertheless, I felt fat and the fact that my mother (who was overweight) was constantly dieting made me feel guilty about food.  I used all sorts of unhealthy techniques in an attempt to control my weight - extreme calorie restriction, fasting, vomiting - but I continued to binge eat and gradually gain weight.

I'm now 20 years old.  I no longer fast or purge, but I do still binge and as a result I'm slightly overweight.  I still feel guilty about most food.  I wish that I'd developed healthier habits when I was younger and that I hadn't gone through that period of feeling bad about my body, when I looked the best I probably ever will.

I've just joined CC and have already been disturbed by the number of really young, really skinny people on the site.  Even teens who are slightly overweight should not be dieting until they've reached maturity.

I think that most of you really understand my initial argument here.  Its NOT about lecturing or trying to weild some authorotarian power over younger people.  Please.  It really is concern.  I want people to maybe avoid some of the mistakes that I made.  These mistakes ruined my life.  My older sister dieted when she was young and still growing as well.  As a result, her bones were weak and she broke her hip.  My sister now has a form of osteoperosis which she developed years ago, as a young person.  It could have been avoided if she had not been denying herself essential nutrients.

I guess I want to make sure that younger people know how to use this site correctly.  There is a difference between going on a diet and learning to be healthy.  I promote healthiness, unless someone is dangerously overweight and the doctor orders a quicker remedy.

Does anyone here watch tv? the problem is that these girls idolize these anorexic women as beautiful people! i think if advertisers got their heads out of their butts and filmed average women....fat, chunky, cellulite, etc, then girls wouldnt freak out when they see it on themselves. Parents also need to realize that their girls are at a prime stage where they are highly vulnerable to critcism. maybe if parents would take a stand and demand the support of values other that superficial beauty we could start to turn things around.

I completely agree with you Neicyluv!  I mean, while I think that those Dove ads (the ones that show average women) are great, there are far too few companies that are jumping on that advertising bandwagon.  This is why I feel that these young people are using these sites in order to get "diet" advice when they may not need it.

One girl was like 13 years old, under 100 pounds, and was logging in at like 700 calories a day.  And she thought she was eating too much.   I was really disturbed. 

As much as I agree about girls who are overly skinny to begin with who join this site, some teenagers actual need this help and can use it wisely. I'm 15 years old and am 204 pounds (5'8"). I've lost 5 pounds but I still need to lose over 50 pounds to be healthy. Don't lump all teenagers together because not all of us have eatting disorders.

I agree, it wasn't so long ago I was a young teen myself, I'm 20.  I was almost always on the chunky side (but not overweight), I joined a gym with my family and with the info I could gather on the internet at that time, I ate around 1400 calories a day.  In one year I was down to 135 from 143lbs.  Slacked off, gained it back and then some =)  Here I am today, hoping to once again get down to 135.  I'm 5'7".

I remember when I was younger it was very easy for me to believe I was being personally attacked by older people, some of the posts by the teenage group here, except for Phoenix121, would remind me of how I would respond.

In anycase, the teenage population that is being refered to are the ones who are underweight and trying to validate a starvation "like" diet.  If this doesn't apply to you, please don't post all upset, because you are not the people being talked about.

Phoenix121 is the example of how the information out there and websites like calorie count SHOULD be used for teens.