Diet Tips For Teens

Fifteen percent of U.S. 12- to 19-year-olds were overweight in 2000, a big jump from 6 percent in 1976. But for teens on the run, it's hard to count calories, which aren't revealed on signs or packaging in most fast-food restaurants. Instead, signs and food ads promote super-size meals and don't reveal that, for instance, one Big Mac has 590 calories/34 grams of fat (more than half the recommended daily maximum for fat of 65 grams), Chicken McNuggets has 500 calories/ 26 fat grams and a king-size Burger King fries packs 600 calories and 3/4 the daily fat max.

In addition to hidden calories, there are empty-calorie foods, high in calories but low in nutrients. Soda is a great example: a 16-ounce bottle of Coke has 200 calories and provides only approximately 1 percent each of the calcium, iron and zinc that an average teen needs each day and not much else. A 16-ounce glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, on the other hand, has 223 calories and provides approximately 4 percent of the fiber, 14 percent of the vitamin A, 38 percent of the folate, 331 percent of the vitamin C, 15 percent of the vitamin B6 and 17 percent of the required magnesium (along with many other nutrients).

Hidden calories and empty calories are causing teens to become increasingly heavy and nutrient deficient at the same time. As kids enter their teenage years, their nutrient requirements suddenly increase to adult levels, and for minerals like phosphorus, magnesium and calcium they actually need more than adults do. A full 45 percent of total bone growth occurs during adolescence, and most teens don't consume enough calcium to support it. Only 13 percent of girls and 36 percent of boys consume the recommended amount of calcium.

Teens also take in substantially more of their daily calories from snacks than adults do. In order to avoid excess weight gain, and take in the nutrients their bodies need, teens should eat nutrient-dense foods, which provide a good amount of vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein in relation to their caloric count. So choosing snacks wisely is a great first step. Snacks like ice cream (high in saturated fat), candy (high in empty calories), chips (one 7-ounce bag of sour-cream-and-onion potato chips averages 1,051 calories) and soda are fine once in a while, but they should not be part of your daily intake. Buy plain popcorn or pretzels instead. Instead of a shake, ice cream or a Starbucks Creme Frappuccino (870 calories, 32 grams fat), choose a smoothie made with real fruit and skim or low-fat milk.

And remember to eat breakfast: A recent study showed that young adults who did not eat breakfast every day were almost twice as likely to be overweight as those who did. Instead of a doughnut, full of trans fats (see p. 7), have unsweetened cereal and fresh fruit with low-fat milk, or scrambled eggs and whole-wheat toast.