Teenagers and food
food; eating; diet; behaviour; fast; foods; meals; nutrition; teenager; overweight; weight; loss; appearance; self-conscious; body; image ;
Contents
Our eating habits today are different from those of a generation ago in so many ways. Fast foods, takeaways and eating out are part of this generation's culture. Parents often worry about whether their teenager is eating well enough.
There are many changes during adolescence that can cause changes in eating behaviour. This is a time when your teenager is striving for independence, working out where he fits in the world and 'testing the waters' at home. Choosing friends, clothes, videos and leisure activities are important ways for your teenager to feel he can 'have a say' in his life. Choosing what and how he eats is another way.
There are no simple solutions to improving your teenager's diet. It can be very difficult for parents of teenagers to convince their children of the benefits of healthier eating when they are also competing with the powerful messages of food advertising and peer pressure.
Knowing about 'normal' teenage eating can help put your mind at rest.
What is happening to my child?
Here are some changes that happen to teenagers.
Having a growth spurt
- Teenagers may start eating a great deal as they experience a growth spurt. The amount of food teenagers (both boys and girls) eat and need will sometimes amaze you.
- It's healthy and not too expensive for teens to 'fill up' on sandwiches, cereals and fruit in season.
- They can often want to eat at non-meal times because they "are starving".
- On the other hand you may notice that they eat less when they have finished growing. This is also normal and does not necessarily mean that they are trying to lose weight.
Feeling self conscious
- Personal appearance becomes very important at this age and many teenagers are influenced by the way the media tells them they should look to be 'successful'.
- It is important if they can be helped to accept their natural body size and to feel they are just right as they are.
- If your teenager is not slim, but is healthy and happy with her body, she should not be encouraged to lose weight.
- Strict weight loss or fad diets are unhealthy.
- If there is a health concern because of lack of exercise or overweight, the way you handle this can make a lot of difference to how your teenager responds.
Focusing on health and fitness
- Those involved in sport or dancing may want to change their diet for fitness or appearance. This is all right in moderation, but if they are becoming obsessive or cutting down food too much, this may be a problem. It might be a good time to discuss your concerns with people who work in this field such as a nutritionist or dietician.
- Teenagers may want to change certain foods in their diet to decrease or prevent acne. This is quite common particularly when their peers can be quite cruel about pimples. Some foods seem to trigger pimple outbreaks in some people but there is no 'pimple free' diet. Noting what is eaten about the time pimples appear may give an idea about which foods could be triggers. There are many more helpful ways to deal with pimples. See 'Acne' for more information
Eating away from home more often
- Teenagers like to go out with their friends and it is very common for this age group to eat 'fast foods'. This could mean they won't want to eat at the evening meal. Doing this once or twice a week is not harmful to them.
Skipping meals
- Sometimes teenagers see other activities or being with their friends as more important than having a meal. This can be disappointing or annoying if you have prepared a meal and your teenager says he's "off out" or doesn't want to eat.
- Having clear rules in your home which encourage respect and consideration for others is important - for example, teenagers don't plan very far ahead, but explain you need to know an hour before the expected mealtime that he won't be eating at home.
- Some young people skip meals to lose weight. Skipping meals actually hinders weight control.
- Skipping breakfast is not a good idea. Research shows that this is the most important meal of the day: it helps to:
- 'kick start' your metabolism
- contains important nutrients
- is important for concentration at school or work in the mornings.
- The key to healthy weight control is to combine regular exercise and a balanced diet.
Experimenting with food
- Many teenagers begin to experiment with new ways of eating, such as becoming vegetarian.
- Vegetarianism is fine, as long as they have checked out the facts on the nutritional contents of foods to make sure they have an adequate diet.
- Just eating fruits and vegetables is 'definitely not okay.'
- Teenage girls often start to do this, but it is especially important for young women to get an adequate supply of iron and calcium to give their bodies the best foundation for the future.
- What they eat now will affect their health in later life. Help your daughter to be aware of this and to think about the sorts of food she should be choosing.
- Working out a diet may mean getting professional help from a nutritionist or dietician experienced in working with young people.
Wanting independence
- Teenagers are keen to feel that they are in control of their own lives and becoming 'themselves'. This is a time of breaking away from family practices (if only temporarily), doing things differently and not wanting to be 'told' what to do.
- They often act as if they 'know it all' and have an answer, usually different from yours, to most things. This can make it especially difficult if you believe you should have some influence on what they eat. They may accept information but not advice from you.
- Young people today are surrounded by media (TV, movies, radio, print) which gives them messages about the 'desirability' of slimness and beautiful clear skin. It is not easy for teenagers to resist this pressure. Help them to recognise the ways that these images are used to market products. You can do this by making light of it.
Teenagers are less likely to indulge in harmful diets or exercise if they feel good about themselves.
What parents can do
Set a good example
- The way you eat and look after your own body sends a powerful message to your child.
- Teenagers are good at sensing the 'do as I say, not do as I do' routine. Enjoy, really enjoy, healthy food yourself.
- Have family rules about 'everyday' foods and 'sometimes' foods.
- Avoid fad diets yourself and don't complain about your own body (or other's) in front of your teenager. Talking about being on a diet is very common in our everyday conversation, so try to avoid this too.
- Shop for a range of healthy foods to have in your cupboards and fridge.
Encourage
- Help your teenager to view growth and body changes as a normal part of growing up. Help him to feel comfortable with the fact that everyone's body matures at a different pace. Encourage an acceptance of his shape and size. Show you accept yours and that thankfully we are all different.
- Try to focus and comment on qualities of your teenager other than appearance. This will help fight the pressures of society about looking a certain way. For example, "You're a really loyal friend", "That was very thoughtful of you", "You're good at driving safely".
- Encourage regular physical activity, walking or riding instead of always being a passenger.
- Do not become angry if your teenagers don't want to do the things they used to like, for this is a time when many throw away the interests they had in childhood. Support them in the activities they choose.
Respect your teenager's opinion
- Respect that your teenager may want to eat differently from the family (providing this is reasonable).
- Try to accept the fact that your teenager may have very strong and different views from yours. Letting eating become a war helps no-one and only damages your relationship.
Provide healthy food
- Make it clear that you provide a range of mostly wholesome and nutritious food and your teenager decides the amount he needs, and what he wants to eat.
- Don't be surprised if he opens the fridge which is full and says "There's nothing to eat in here".
- Make sure you provide a wide choice of foods from all the food groups such as
- grains (eg bread, pasta, rice, cereal)
- vegetables and legumes
- fruit
- dairy products (milk, yoghurt, cheese)
- meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts.
- Growing children need snacks. Provide food from the above food groups for snacks.
- Making a fuss if your teenager eats lots of less than healthy 'sometimes' foods is not usually helpful or likely to make him stop, and can make him 'switch off' if it happens too often.
Share the kitchen
- Give teenagers some responsibilities in the kitchen and in preparing meals.
- Expect both sons and daughters to contribute in some way to food preparation. Encourage them to have a say, even if it's one meal a week, in planning, shopping for and preparing a meal of their own choice for everyone. (Many young adults have few cooking skills and little idea about how to shop wisely when they leave home; so they end up relying on takeaways.)
- Help your child develop these skills and build confidence.
Teach food safety
If you are keen for your children to do the right thing, then it is important to practise and pass on food safety tips.
- Wash hands after going to the toilet and before preparing, cooking or eating food.
- Wash hands, knives and cutting boards after preparing uncooked foods.
- Keep dishcloths and sponges clean.
- Wash raw fruit and vegetables before eating.
- Always thaw foods in the fridge... not at room temperature.
- All animal foods, including eggs, should be well cooked.
- Eat cooked foods straight away. Food that cannot be eaten straight away should be kept hot (at least 60ºC) or covered and placed straight into the fridge.
- If food has to be reheated it should be thoroughly heated (not warmed).
- Teach children not to drink out of a bottle, carton or jug that is to be used by others and do not share cups or straws.
- Teach children not to cough or sneeze around food, or to cover their mouths and noses if this is unavoidable.
Support
- Support teenagers through fad diets but check out with them whether their diet is nutritious. (You need to be sure you know what is a nutritious diet.)
- There are many fad diets around - you may be better informed by speaking with a dietician or nutritionist.
Reminders
- Set a good example - don't expect your teenager to do as you say if you're not doing it yourself.
- Help your teenager develop a healthy attitude to food so that it is an enjoyable part of life.
- Provide a variety of nutritious foods in a relaxed manner - teenagers will usually eat the amount they need.
- Teenagers can appreciate the difference between 'everyday' foods and 'sometimes' foods.
- Help your teenager learn the basic skills of planning, shopping, preparing and cooking food, so that he knows what to do when he eventually leaves home.
- Choosing what and how he eats is one way for a teenager to exert independence.
- Messages from the media about body shape place great pressure on teenagers, so help them to see the ways that products are marketed.
- Teenagers are less likely to go on strict diets or exercise routines if they feel good about themselves.
Resources
South Australia
- Children, Youth and Women's Health Service
- Parent Helpline 1300 364 100
- Youth Healthline 1300 13 17 19
- For nutrition advice, contact a dietician or nutritionist at a community health centre or hospital.
- For information about food safety, contact an environmental health officer at your local council.
- For information about eating disorders:
Australia
Written in partnership
Eat Well SA
Eating Disorders Association of SA
Child and Youth Health - Parenting SA
Related Parent Easy Guide (Parenting SA website - PDF format)
The information on this site should not be used as an alternative to professional care. If you have a particular problem, see a doctor, or ring the Parent Helpline on 1300 364 100 (local call cost from anywhere in South Australia).
This topic may use 'he' and 'she' in turn - please change to suit your
child's sex.