Teenage Obesity | Health Topics for Teens

One of the developing issues affecting teenagers today is the rise in the levels of teenage obesity. A number of experts have suggested that increasingly inactive lifestyle, together with poorer nutrition alternatives, is a major contribution to the increasing number of teenagers considered obese or overweight.

The impacts that teenage obesity has on wellbeing can start during teenage years and extend all through a lifetime if not taken care of. The effects of obesity are Heart disease, hypertension, asthma, and sleeping problems. In addition, teen obesity can bring about mental problems linked with social issues and downbeat body reflection which are linked with being treated as an outsider.

Review of PE policy in schools should be made. The policy should ensure that during PE, every student participates fully in different sports. This way, idle students will be engaged, and this will reduce cases of teenage obesity. The policy should also ensure that PE is compulsory for all students irrespective of their health condition.

The policy will ensure that different sports are available for students with different health conditions to avoid some students missing out exercises. Another policy that should be introduced in schools is diet policy. The policy should ensure that school cafeterias offer healthy foods. It should also discourage students from carrying junk food from home as their snacks. The policy should be specific on what kinds of foods students are allowed to carry to school.

The aims of these two policies are to ensure that teenagers do not become idle hence develop obesity. As they participate in various sports, they will be able to cut down excessive fats that bring about obesity. Moreover, the policy that restricts students on the kind of foods they should eat while in school will reduce their chances of getting overweight.

This is because teenagers spend most of their time in school, and, therefore, the chances of getting overweight are immense since there are many cafeterias in school where they can access junk foods. Therefore, this policy will ensure that students only eat foods that are healthy, and this is likely to reduce cases of obesity among the teenagers.

Even with these two policies, barriers to them are likely to come up. This is because there are parents who might feel that their children are being denied their rights to eat whatever they like. Another barrier that might come up is the lack of support from parents to discourage their children from eating junk foods while at home.

However, one can overcome these two barriers by enlighten parents and teenagers on the causes and dangers of obesity. By doing this, parents are likely to cooperate and support the policies as every parent wants what is best for their children.

Conclusion

Teenage obesity is a developing anxiety for a large number of parents. Sugary drinks, excessive eating of junk foods, Inactive lifestyle are all factors that contribute to the teen obesity. Teenagers who are obese or overweight face a danger of future health complications like diabetes, heart diseases, and other sicknesses.

There are policies that can prevent obesity, and they include enacting policies that ensure that every student participates actively in different sports during PE lessons. Also, policies should be passed on what kind of foods should be sold in the student cafeteria and foods that students can carry to school as snacks.

5 Simple and Healthy Food Substitutes

Eating healthy and making smarter food choices can become a daunting task for many people. Instead of throwing out all of your unhealthy foods at once start small, swapping a few foods, which are not so good for you, with some healthier food options. Changing just a few foods in your diet will make a big difference in your health and your weight. As you become accustomed to these changes, search out other healthy Food substitutes which are low in fat and calories and packed with vitamins and nutrients. Here are a few beginning substitutions that won’t throw your taste buds into shock.

Greek Yogurt

Substitute nonfat Greek yogurt in place of sour cream or mayo. Greek yogurt has a relatively high protein count and is low in calories. Add Greek yogurt to tacos or put it on chili for a similar taste with fewer calories. Use it as a base for dips and serve it with baked crackers for a healthier option to chips and regular dip. Mix honey and fruit into it then freeze for a sweet tasting, low calorie treat. Substitute this in recipes which call for cream, such as Alfredo sauce recipes.

Cauliflower

Substituting cauliflower for mashed potatoes can cut a significant amount of calories from your diet. One cup of mashed cauliflower contains 101 fewer calories than a cup of mashed potatoes. Pair that with the high amount of vitamin C and you have a healthy swap that is also good for you. Swap the butter with olive oil to reduce even more calories in this dish.

Spinach

Swap Iceberg lettuce for leafy spinach in a salad. Iceberg lettuce is low in nutrients. Spinach packs more nutrients and flavor into a smaller serving size. Replace lettuce on sandwiches with baby spinach and you will hardly know the difference. Substituting baby spinach not only adds more flavor, but you also get more iron and folic acid with each serving.

Spaghetti Squash

Substitute spaghetti squash for pasta. This is a perfect substitution for spaghetti piled high with marinara sauce and meatballs. You can also add olive oil, parmesan cheese and a pinch of basil to give the spaghetti squash flavor, and serve it as a side dish just as you would noodles. This is a great substitute for any recipe which calls for pasta of any kind. You will save yourself 178 calories by substituting one cup of spaghetti squash for the one cup of regular pasta.

Quinoa

Quinoa gives you the opportunity to still have your beloved grains with meals and eliminate the excess carbohydrates. Quinoa helps fill you up and provides a host of nutrients including six grams of protein and three grams of fiber per serving. These high levels of protein help you eat less at your meal, and feel full longer. If you’re not ready to dive right into straight quinoa, mix it with vegetables and olive oil to create a healthy stir fry, until you are accustomed to the different taste and texture quinoa provides over rice.

Play around and be creative with your food swaps. Try adding other healthy ingredients to make unique dishes of your own filled with healthy low fat foods. These simple food swaps will not greatly affect the flavor of many of the foods that you have come to love, and are a simple way to lose weight without even trying. They provide ways to consume a healthier diet while still enjoying the foods that you love.

Hollywood Diets and Their Health Benefits

Hollywood diets found their name from the place of their origin. Some people argue that these diets were devised of formulated for Hollywood stars while others differ with this assertion arguing that these diets have their origin from a totally different source. However, despite the source of the diet, one thing that both sides of the argument agree on is the ant aging power of the Hollywood diets.

Going by the assertions made by the first group, we can argue that these diets are the behind the youthful looks of most of Hollywood’s stars and starlets. There are stars in Hollywood that look half their actual or real age. These actors and actresses are said to be using this age defying diets, which keeps them looking younger and younger. ‘

How the Diet Works

The Hollywood diets are designed in such a way that they cleanse and rid the body of toxins and helps in huge weight losses. The detoxifying element of the diet flushes the body system with a lot of water. The diet is scientifically formulated and contains vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and essential oils. This formulation works to clean toxins from the digestive tracts and the colon.

The Contents of the Diet

Hollywood diets are made from a mixture of juices and concentrates like prune juice, pineapple juice, Fructose, orange juice, white grape juice among other fruit juices. You will have to take the juices and water over a period of 48 hours without taking food. This will help achieve the desired results of detoxification and weight loss.

Benefits of the diets

The Hollywood diets have been found to be very beneficial to the persons taking them. Following are some benefits of taking a Hollywood diet:

  • Helps in hydrating the body- The diet is liquid-based therefore you will get to take plenty of fluid which is important for metabolic functions in the body.
  • Encourages digestive clearing- The diet allows the body to rest from ingestion of solid food materials. This allows the digestive tract to rest and clear the accumulated rest from its system.
  • Low in dietary toxins- this allows the body to throw off accumulated toxins thereby promoting the metabolic functioning of the body.

All of these benefits help rejuvenate the body and you can also use the Hollywood Diet for quick antiaging results.