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Teen Obesity

What is obesity?

Being obese basically means that a person has too much body fat and that the amount of excess body fat puts that person’s health is in danger.

How do you know if you are obese?

One screening method used to determine if a teen is overweight or obese is by calculating the body mass index from that teen’s weight and height. Adolescents with a BMI over 85% but less than the 95th percentile are generally considered overweight, and those with a BMI greater than the 95th percentile are considered obese. If a teen’s calculated BMI puts them above a healthy weight range, then it is important for that teen to meet with an adolescent medicine specialist or family physician so that a definitive diagnosis can be made.

How much of a problem is it for teens?

Obesity is a definite problem for adolescents. Obesity rates among U.S. teens have tripled over the past 20 years. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 16.3% of teens were obese.

Obesity most commonly begins in childhood between the ages of 5 and 6 and during adolescence. Studies have shown that a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has an 80% chance of becoming an obese adult. Because of these two facts, is vital to address the issue of obesity in children and teens – preventing it from ever becoming a problem and treating it before it persists for too long.

There are significant health risks for adolescents who are significantly overweight. Obese teens are just as likely to die before they reach old age as teens who are heavy smokers. While many parents and educators have warned teens over the years about the dangers of even moderate smoking, the same emphasis has not been put on the issue of obesity – and that needs to change.

What causes obesity?

Basically obesity occurs when a person eats more calories than he/she burns off. But it is often not a simple problem to solve since there are genetic, biological, behavioral, and cultural factors that all contribute to obesity.

Obesity in teens can be related to:

  • Poor eating habits. This might include eating large portions, often going for seconds, excessive snacking, and picking foods high in sugars and fat.
  • Overeating or binge eating.
  • Lack of exercise. This might include a lack of cardio workouts, but in can also include too much couch potato time.
  • Family history of obesity. If one parent is obese, there is a 50% chance that the child will also be obese. When both parents are obese, that rate goes up to 80%
  • Medical illnesses, such as endocrine and neurological problems.
  • Certain medications, such as steroids and some psychiatric medications.
  • Stressful life events or changes, such as separations, divorce, moves, deaths, abuse, as well as family and peer problems. Because of feeling stressed and/or depressed during difficult times, teens may not take care of themselves in terms of watching what they eat and getting sufficient exercise.
  • Low self-esteem, depression, and other emotional problems. Some teens may eat to self-soothe when dealing with negative emotions or various mental health issues, and others may not have the physical and/or emotional energy required to really take care of themselves.

What are the risks and complications associated with obesity?

Physical problems can include:

  • Increased risk of heart disease.
  • High blood pressure: With high blood pressure, the heart has to pump harder and the arteries must carry blood that’s moving under greater pressure. When this occurs over longer periods of time, the heart and arteries might not work as well as they should.
  • High cholesterol: Having high cholesterol increase the risk of heart attack and stroke as a person ages.
  • Type 2 Diabetes: Insulin is less effective at getting glucose (the body’s main source of energy) into cells when there is excess body fat. Insulin resistance may progress to diabetes (high blood sugar).
  • Breathing problems: Extra weight can interfere with the development and health of the lungs, leading to asthma & other breathing problems. Breathing problems, such as asthma, can make it harder to keep up with friends, play sports, or just walk around a large high school.
  • Sleep apnea: This is when a person temporarily stops breathing during sleep. Interrupted sleep can leave a teen tired and with subsequent difficulties concentrating and learning in school. It can even cause heart problems.
  • Arthritis: This is a painful joint problem that can occur from wear and tear on the joints from carrying around extra weight.
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): Girls who are overweight may miss periods or not get them at all and might then have elevated testosterone levels in the blood. This excess testosterone can interfere with normal ovulation, cause excess hair growth, worsening acne, and even male-type baldness. Overweight women might also have fertility problems.
  • Blount disease: Excess weight on growing bones can lead to this bone deformity of the lower legs.

Emotional and social problems can include:

How can obesity in teens be managed and treated?

Once a teen has been diagnosed as obese, the first step in managing and treating the problem is a thorough medical evaluation by an adolescent medicine specialist, pediatrician, or family physician to consider the possibility of a physical cause. If there is no physical cause, the only way to lose weight is to reduce the number of calories being eaten and increase the teen’s level of physical activity.

It is important to speak to a doctor and qualified nutritionist and/or personal trainer about how to lose weight safely. Losing weight too rapidly can have some negative effects on the body. In addition, small steps are more likely to lead to ongoing changes rather than making quick and drastic changes. So it’s good to have professional guidance along the way.  

Lasting weight loss only occurs when there is self-motivation, so one thing to consider is how to keep the motivation up. One thing that can help with motivation is to have a friend or family member making healthy changes as well so that you can be positive influences on each other.

What happens at home will have a huge influence on a teen trying to lose weight. Since obesity often affects more than one family member, making healthier eating and exercising a family activity can improve the chances for successful weight loss for the teen.

Some considerations for teens include:

  • Start a weight management program with the help of a doctor, nutritionist and personal trainer.
  • Identify problematic eating habits and ways to change them.
  • Plan meals and make better food selections. This includes ensuring that you have healthy food choices in each of your meals, as well as making sure that you have meals ready for you so you don’t end up starving and filling up on snacks or reaching for the quick unhealthy foods.
  • Control portions and consume fewer calories.
  • Increase physical activity. This might include cardio workouts, weight-lifting, and even just ways to be up and on the go more with reduced coach potato time. Do check in with your doctor and a qualified trainer to ensure that whatever physical activity you are considering will be safe and effective.
  • Think about healthy options for lunch at school.
  • Eat meals as a family rather than in front of the tv or computer.
  • Do not use food as a reward. Food can easily become the focus – a reward, a thing to base get-togethers around. See if there are ways to make things other than food the focus. For example, instead of getting together with friends to go out for pizza, get together with friends to go for a walk in the park.
  • Limit snacking. A little bit here and a little bit there can quickly add up. Many people would be surprised at the amount of calories, sugar and fat they take in through snacks if they were to add it all up. So limit the amount of snack foods you consume and consider what you are eating – for example, go for the fruit rather than the chocolates, cookies, or chips.
  • Attend a support group such as overeater’s anonymous.