Teens and dieting: Less talking, more action
Have you ever tried to convince a teen to do something that he or she isn't already motivated to do? How'd that work out for you? Teens are young adults, already aware that they are capable of making many choices on their own. Researchers recently studied overweight teens. What they found was that teens who are told that they should or must diet are actually the ones who are the most likely to still have weight problems five years later. "There seems to be a fine line between helpful and harmful parenting," they said in their study. Teens reported negative feelings when parents coerced or nagged them about dieting.
Instead, say researchers, the most effective techniques included encouraging teens to exercise, exercising together as a family, and making healthy lifestyle changes that the whole family can participate in.
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