The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducts an annual survey of adolescents on a wide range of topics. Entitled The Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the report offers helpful information on the behaviors of teenagers. Today’s blog will be focusing on dietary behaviors. Since adolescence is a time of rapid growth and development, having a balanced diet and good nutrition is important for physical growth, immunity, and brain health. Interestingly, eating healthy can also prevent chronic disease later in life.
The CDC’s survey found the following results in 2023:
- Only about half of high school students ate fruit daily, ate vegetables daily, and drank plain water at least 3 times per day.
- Less than one-third of students did not drink soda and less than half of students did not drink sports drinks.
- Only about a quarter of students ate breakfast daily.
These results mean that teens are not making the best dietary choices. While you certainly can’t control what and when your teen eats, you can role model healthy eating, discuss what makes up a nutritious diet, and prepare healthy meals for your family. Here are some steps to improve your child’s dietary behavior:
Discuss benefits of nutrition. Many people are completely unaware of how their diet impacts their overall wellbeing. Teens need to know that the foods they choose to eat can affect their health, appearance, mood, and energy level. A nutritious diet helps us think clearer, sleep better, have more energy, improve our immune system, have clearer skin, and improve our mental health. Most people are generally more motivated to make changes in their lifestyle if they perceive good benefits to them rather than fearing negative effects.
Increase intake of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are full of fiber and vitamins that our body needs. Teens should be eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. If they are reluctant, try to serve them in all different ways – raw, steamed, roasted, with dips, etc. – and work your way up slowly.
Avoid processed foods. By definition, a processed food is a food item that has had a series of chemical operations performed on it to change or preserve it. As a rule of thumb, processed foods typically come in a box or bag and contain more than one item on the list of ingredients, often with names that are difficult to pronounce. Processed foods are often loaded with sugar, fat, sodium and calories. Instead, choose whole grains. Ask for brown rice instead of white, whole-wheat pasta over regular, and whole-wheat bread over white for sandwiches.
Limit sweets and high-fat foods. Teens tend to eat too much food that is high in fat, sugar and calories. The main culprits are junk food, and fast food restaurants. These foods can lead to obesity, lethargy, brain fog, moodiness, and other poor health outcomes.
Drink water. Soda is a huge source of harmful chemicals and hidden calories. The average large soda packs around 300 calories, which can quickly gulp up a big portion of your daily calorie intake. Shakes are even worse, with up to 800 calories and a day’s worth of saturated fat. And don’t be fooled by lemonade and fruit drinks, which add calories and sugar without much in the way of nutrients.
Eat regularly through the day. According to the American Dietetic Association, more than half of male teens and more than two-thirds of female teens do not eat breakfast on a regular basis. Skipping meals actually makes your body over-eat later in the day. Teens often think that if they skip a meal, then they’re going to lose weight, but the truth is that regular meals help control weight, mood and ability to concentrate. Encourage teens to eat three meals and two snacks a day, and if they’re concerned about weight, teach them to eat smaller amounts at each sitting. Let your teen know that restaurants, in particular, serve too much food for one meal, and it’s a great idea to cut the meal in half and take home the other half to eat another day.
Listen to your body. So many people don’t pay attention to their body’s natural cues. To maintain health, we should eat when we are hungry and stop when we are full. The American culture is a fast-paced one that often doesn’t encourage enjoyment of a meal. Let your teen know that it takes their body 20 minutes from the time they start eating to register that they are full. By slowing down when we eat, we tend to stop overeating. And, encourage your teen to only eat when they feel hungry – so many teens eat when they are bored or eat mindlessly as they are playing video games or watching TV.
Final Thoughts…
Even if it doesn’t seem like it, your teen is closely observing your lifestyle, eating habits, and attitudes about issues like appearance and weight. Being a good role model is actually your best way to influence their behavior in all aspects of life. Related to diet, you should avoid fad diets, restrictive eating, using food as rewards or punishment, and emotional eating.