How to keep on top of your teenager’s diet when all they want to eat is junk, according to a dietitian
ADOLESCENCE shapes a person - their music taste, style and interests - but quite literally their body, too.
Experts say the food habits we make as kids can stick for life, so it’s best to start introducing healthy eating as young as possible.
We often talk about children’s diets, but less often about teenagers and young adults, who are making more of their own food choices.
For example, what to eat for breakfast, what to buy on the way home from school, what takeaway to order at a friend’s house, or what to eat while at university.
Aisling Pigott, a British Dietician Association (BDA) spokesperson and registered dietitian, tells The Sun: “During childhood, parents have the main influence on a child's food choices, but as they grow older, more influence comes from peers, social media and outside the home.
“This can be so hard for parents.”
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As many as nine in 10 parents are concerned about their teen’s diet, according to a survey.
Commissioned by the campaign Love Fresh Berries, it also found that 34 per cent of parents think their teen has a worse diet than they did at the same age.
The findings don’t surprise Kim Pearson, Harley Street nutritionist and weight loss specialist, who tells The Sun: “The percentage of calories we consume as a population that come from ultra-processed food has increased significantly.
“These are foods that come in a packet and contain more than five ingredients - none of which you would find in a typical kitchen at home.
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“You see kids drinking energy drinks and eating Haribo on their way to school, going to takeaways after school, and constantly eating.
“Food companies work hard to identify the specific combinations of salt, fat and sugar, as well as the texture that make their products particularly moreish, and this, in turn, drives us to eat far too much - a lot more than the 'serving size' stated on the packet.”
There is no doubt the UK has an obesity problem. The proportion of obese adults has almost doubled in 30 years, to 28 per cent.
Among 16 to 24-year-olds, 20 per cent are overweight and eight per cent are obese.
Experts have warned young adults are at the highest risk of becoming overweight in the next decade of their life compared to adults in any other age group.
University College London researchers said in 2021 that people of this age were most likely to see a change in their BMI (body mass index).
It’s not just extra weight that teenagers may take into their adult life.
Bridget Benelam, nutrition scientist at British Nutrition Foundation, says: “Obesity in young people can track into adulthood, and this brings with it a higher risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease in later life.
“So it’s ideal to set up healthy eating habits at an early stage.”
Kim adds: “Habits that start in childhood and teenage years absolutely can and do stick.
“I see it all the time in my clinic. Often we are unpicking habits that date back decades.
“It's hard for me to express the extent to which I feel it's so very important to support children and teens in establishing healthy habits in childhood.
“These habits can last a lifetime.”
How much should teenagers eat, and what should they weigh?
If you’ve ever lived with a teenager, you’ll be familiar with food rapidly disappearing from the house.
When asked how much teenagers should eat, Aisling says: “How long is a piece of string?
“Every teenager will have different energy and nutritional needs.
“What’s ‘normal’ is the amount of food that gives them the right nutrients to grow, feel well and work well.”
Experts advise parents to focus on the foods their kids are eating, rather than how much.
Bridget, who says it’s “very difficult to specify a normal amount of food at this age”, adds: “It may be best to focus on getting the balance of foods right, for example, making sure teens get their five-a-day, consume wholegrains and a balance of protein-rich foods.
“At this age, the body is growing and developing and so diet is very important to support, for example, the development of healthy bones and muscles.”
When it comes to weight, the NHS points parents and adults to the BMI calculator to assess whether someone is the right weight for their height.
BMI is not considered an accurate measurement of obesity, but just one indicator.
Kim says: “It's easy to assume that just because someone (teenagers included) is slim, that they must be healthy and are 'getting away with' a poor diet. But this is often not the case.
“Someone can appear slim but be metabolically unhealthy or deficient in a variety of nutrients.
“It's very important for teenagers to be eating a healthy, nutrient-dense diet.
“Not only does it provide the body with essential nutrients it needs for growth and development, energy production, brain function, concentration and so much more, it is also a time when habits are established that can last a lifetime.”
The most important foods
Meals should contain protein to help with muscle growth and repair, healthy fats to support concentration, carbohydrates for energy and fibre for digestion.
Only four per cent of kids aged 11 to 18 years meet the recommended amount of fibre per day, according to the Government’s latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2020).
Aisling said: “Many teenagers - particularly girls - are at risk of iron-deficiency anaemia which can lead to tiredness and reduced academic performance.
“Including green leafy vegetables, meat, fish and pulses can help meet iron requirements.”
As well as iron, calcium, iodine and vitamin D are key nutrients for teens to be getting.
Calcium and iodine (found in milk and dairy) are “incredibly important for bone and thyroid health” says Aisling, recommending two to three portions of dairy per day.
Vitamin D, for promoting strong bones and teeth, is synthesised by the body in daylight.
But, given we live in the UK, it is recommended most people take a supplement.
“All teenagers - and the rest of the population - should think about a 10ug Vitamin D supplement, especially during winter months,” Aisling says.
Red flag behaviours
We know teens are at risk of obesity. At the same time, eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder have soared in the past few decades.
Most eating disorders develop during adolescence, says the Priory Group.
Aisling says: “It’s really important to look out for unhealthy dieting behaviour and negative self-image, which can often become ingrained during teenage years.
“Unhealthy dieting behaviour can look like excessive restriction, with or without overeating.
“Watch out for words like ‘cutting out’, ‘cutting down’ or behaviours like meal skipping.
“For young people struggling with overeating, it can be tempting to reinforce messages around ‘dieting’ or ‘restriction’, which can actually make them more prone to overeating.
“Instead, try and maintain body positive messages and avoid triggers for overeating e.g. stress, over-hungry, alcohol.”
Researchers at Imperial College London recently said that, although weight management is important for children and teens, it should not be to the detriment of their mental health or self-esteem.
They found that larger 11-year-olds were more likely to have poor self-esteem as they entered their teen years, and then, more likely to have mental health issues at 17 years old.
Aisling says: “Try and make sure that the whole family uses body-positive language where possible and focus on nourishment not restriction when it comes to food talk.”
Kim agrees, saying: “I always advise parents to never make healthy eating about weight.
“Rather, I advise them to educate children on the ways that the nutrients in whole foods are vital for health and wellbeing and why it's important that treats and sugary foods are limited.
“If parents are lacking knowledge themselves, I advise them to go on a journey of discovery with their child.
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“There are many educational videos by qualified experts on YouTube.”
Although it may feel like your teen is slipping through your fingers, you still have the power to positively influence their outlook on food and weight.
TIPS FOR PARENTS
Aisling PigoTt from the BDA recommends:
- Talk about food positively, avoiding referring to food as ‘good’ and ‘bad’.
- Use positive body talk about other people (and about yourself as parents).
- Encourage thinking about food as an opportunity for nourishment and fuel. This can open up conversations about including more fruit and vegetables into our day for example.
- When discussing the frequency of certain foods (e.g. takeaway meals from fast food outlets), discuss realistic frequencies and sensible alternatives too.
- Encourage and role model intuitive eating – recognising our internal hunger and fullness cues.
- Encourage and role model mindful eating – eating without screens (phones or TV) at a table enjoying the tastes, textures and wonderfulness of each meal.
- Encourage teens to share concerns around food, eating or body with you.