Being a teenager has always been tough, but the pressure to be thin has perhaps never been greater. Indeed, even as rates of teen obesity have increased over the last 10 years, so also has the number of teens who say they are trying to lose weight. This comes at a time when social media regularly highlights new fad diets and elaborate exercise programs that claim to help you lose weight fast and easily. The truth is that weight loss is never easy, but there are some safe and healthy ways for teens to find and maintain a healthy weight.
Although weight loss is typically associated with achieving a desirable physique, the real reason for anyone to prioritize weight loss is long-term health. Over the past several decades, research continues to demonstrate the link between obesity and conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and numerous other diseases and disorders. For teens, then, the first and most important consideration is their overall health and wellbeing and the impact of their weight.
In fact, the term “overweight” is truly defined as the point at which excess body weight begins to negatively affect health. However, because this point is unique to every individual, healthcare professionals often evaluate a person’s índice de masa corporal (BMI). This number is derived from a comparison between a person’s height and weight; 18-24 is considered normal, 25-29 is overweight, and 30 or more is obese. For example, if a 5’5” person weighed 150lbs, they would have a BMI of 24.96 and would probably be slightly overweight; if the same person lost 10 pounds, their BMI would drop to 23.3.
One of the hard parts about establishing a healthy weight for a teen is the fact that some are still actually growing and therefore still gaining body weight. This means that a certain amount of weight gain is totally normal as a child progresses through adolescence. It is possible, though, to gain an unhealthy amount of weight; and, in fact, the percentage of young people aged 12-19 who are considered obese is now the highest on record (22.2%). There are many possible causes of weight gain, but below are some factors that may contribute:
The focus on body image and being perceived as thin has grown seemingly more intense in recent years, and this is perhaps even more prevalent among teenage girls. The cultural obsession with being skinny can and too often does lead teen girls down a path to an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia. Yet rather than looking to a specific diet or approach to exercise, here are some principles for losing weight that teens can safely incorporate into their lives:
Teenagers today are perhaps under more pressure than ever before to have a physique that meets certain standards. Rather than trying to meet these impossible standards, though, teens should focus on finding healthy habits and a healthy weight that promotes long term health. For most teens, this means emphasizing healthy food choices and an increase in regular physical activity. The bottom line: teen weight loss plans can be safe and healthy when they support overall health and wellbeing.
Dr. Christopher McGowan, MD, a leader in endobariatrics, specializes in non-surgical obesity treatments and is triple-board-certified in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, and Obesity Medicine. Renowned for pioneering endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) with over 2,000 procedures, his global influence and research contributions define him as a top expert.