Weight Management For Kids/Teens

I recently dropped Erik/Igor an e-mail to get their thoughts on a project Cecily and I would like to undertake.  They loved the idea.  So we begin our project.

Everyone you talk to agrees that the thought of putting kids on a "diet" seems wrong.  However, the rate that our children are becoming obese is skyrocketing.  There are more and more cases of Eating Disorders in our youth and it is saddening.

We think it is time to talk about the wellness of our next generation.

Cecily and I have started gathering ideas and topics of the things we would like to cover and we would LOVE to have input and/or gather information from other members of this site.....especially the young members who use this site.  

Cecily and I are both excited about this project and look forward to getting started..

Possible Topics We Have Discussed:

-Body Image

-Self-Esteem

-Peer Pressure

-Food Choice (School/Fast Food)

-Eating Disorders

-Obesity

-Creating Positive Eating Habits

More Coming........

how about exercise?

incorporating more physical activity into their daily routine?

Great idea!!   Thanks Couldntbhappier.  :)

How about 'Tips for Parents'? Like... specific tips, a summary :)

Thanks HK..... another great idea.  :)

Couldn't agree more with your idea!!

Here is a website I've found on kids health issues, it is doctor reveiwed and all. Hope it helps with your discussions.

www.kidshealth.org

I love this idea!  As I come across material, I'll either post it here or put it in your journal.

It's about time we did something about this.

First reference - iVillage has a number of articles on the topic.  Scroll down

Childhood Obesity - iVillage

I realize there could be copyright issues but we could gather some information.

Second reference - About.com has a lot of information too

Childhood Obesity - About.com

This would probably be a sub-category under Food Choice, but something along the lines of kid-friendly healthy foods would be good.  I have an extremely picky 9-year old, who happens to be a little on the heavy side.  He's my firstborn, and I know it's all my fault because I gave in to him when he started getting picky on me at about 2 years old.  We're slowly working on it, but he just doesn't like vegetables at ALL.  He's very active, though, so that's good. 

Anyway, if there could be a little bit about choices that kids will enjoy and not feel deprived of things that they like, that would be totally cool.  Looking forward to it.

I don't have any ideas for you but I've got linkage that might come in handy for your research :)

Girlshealth.gov - Teen Girls Health Site
Girlshealth.gov - Girls BMI Calculator
Overweightteen.com - Weight Loss Help For Teens
Kidshealth.org - "What's the right weight for my height?"
About.com - Boys and Eating Disorders
Lambtonhealth.on.ca - Teen Weight Concerns
About.com - Teen Dieting


more for teens than kids..

(Thanks to Jeff for providing the link for the teen girls BMI calculator)

Thank you everyone.   :)  I appreciate all the help, information, advice and links.  *hug*

hmm...Sounds quite fascinating; I don't have anything new to add, but all of those topics sound interesting to talk about. If possible, let me know when/where a discussion would be! ^^;;

EDIT: Oh, something on improving one's self-esteem/confidence would be nice. ^^;;

yeah im a teen and i also agree nowadays, many people my age who lose weight devoplope eating issues and compulsiveness, i experienced this personally, and still battle it, and am trying to gain weight back.

however, i ask, what do you think causes this? Ive seen it happen with alot of my freinds personally, and my self?

do you think its self esteem, the culture?

what triggered it?

here's some body image linkage :)

Love your body ~ Inside & Out.  Celebrate & Nourish Your Body

http://www.4woman.gov/bodyimage/

Body Image & Self-esteem

http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/body _image/body_ima ge.html

What is Self-Esteem?

http://www.more-selfesteem.com/whatisselfeste em.htm 

Body Image ~ Like Mother Like Daughter ~ Thought Provoking {{{Thanks m3lody}}}

http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/mindbody/ 1

Thanks again everyone for the links and thoughts.

dartrinton...I am sorry that you have and are battling eating issues. *hug*

What triggers it?  Yes, I personaly feel peer pressure and culture are HUGE factors. Hopefully I will have more answers for you soon.

Wow, these are some great ideas and links! 

dartrinton, your story sounds similar to mine.  I think several things caused me to try to lose (too much) weight.  One, I had my mom telling me how fat I was getting without doing anything to help me.  Two, once I started losing weight I just couldn't stop.  I had the idea that I'd be happy with myself once I got 'skinny,' but I never really was happy and just kept losing until I was so unhappy looking at the skeleton in the mirror.  I think that quest for self love was what drove my compulsive behavior to keep losing weight.  Three, when the media glamourizes thin, pretty people, it's hard to not want to fit that image.  Especially when you're an impressionable teenage girl.  Of course, this is my personal experience.  I can't speak for everyone, but I really think a combination of factors contribute to this problem.

Ouch; m'srry!

People don't realize the pressure that guys have as well; I have 2 brothers, and they're the biggest computer nerds I've seen, but I still see peer pressure on them to have larger muscles and be skinnier/larger. I looked at your profile, and your weight seems awfully low, though no idea your height; hopefully we can help you with all of that! ^^

And from a fellow teen, I'm always here if you want to talk or be motivated or something. : P

After reading about this I was thinking about kids who have a healthy lifestyle compared to those who do not. They seem to be healthier all around. Socially confident, better grades, good sleepers, good attitudes, balanced minds...as balanced as a kid can have anyways! This may all fall under self-esteem issues, but maybe these are some sub- category suggestions.

The NHS don't treat eating disorders until the person is severely underweight which, is too late by then.

I know a girl who is close to rupturing her oesophogus and because she has a BMI which says she's obese, they won't treat her.  

So there's no wonder people aren't recovering. They're only being treated when it's too late to be cured.

here's a couple more...

this one is about binge eating but links through to other stuff and gr8 resources

http://www.kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn= familydoctor&lic=44&article_set=20576

The 2nd link has expired but here's the information i thought was interesting...

Article #2 ~ Teen dieting linked to long-term problems

from MSNBC (Reuters)...    

Weight control during adolescence tied to eating disorders later in life  

Teens who go on diets or take unhealthy measures to lose weight may end up gaining pounds in the long run, according to a new study.  

Among more than 2,500 teens in the study, those who said they were trying to control their weight were three times more likely than their peers to be overweight five years later.

They were also at greater risk of having a binge-eating disorder, or to be vomiting or using diet pills, laxatives or diuretics in an effort to lose weight.  

Overall, 58 percent of girls and 31 percent of boys reported some form of unhealthy weight-control practice. These teens were more likely to be overweight five years later, even with their current weight taken into account.  

Higher risk for eating disorders

Moreover, they were roughly six times more likely to develop a binge-eating disorder, and were at greater risk of using extreme measures to lose weight. 

Girls who reported unhealthy weight-loss tactics were also more likely to report any form of eating disorder five years later.  

And although unhealthy measures were most harmful, healthy dieting was also linked to a higher risk of being overweight or developing a binge-eating problem ? at least among girls.  

This, Neumark-Sztainer and her colleagues write, suggests the need for a "major shift" in attitudes toward weight control. 

Many teens, they point out, are likely to need help in making lasting, healthy changes in their diets and exercise habits, as opposed to quick fixes.

  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12390031/from/ET/

What about portion sizes, especially for younger children.

Studies have shown that children of overweight parents are at greater risk of being overweight themselves.  I think much of this is due to an inability to recognize a proper portion.  I have a 15 month old and I have been trying to make sure I don't pass on my bad food habits to her.  However, there is very little information about the calorie needs of children and what constitutes a serving at various age levels.  Obviously a serving of fruit for me is not the same as a serving of fruit for my daughter.  I think if a parent has a hard time recognizing what an adult portion looks like then they are certainly not going to be able to accurately judge how much food they should give their child.  I know kids grow at different rates and all that but there has to be some guideline for how much the average kid needs at each age.