The teenage years are a period of rapid growth and bodily changes. At the same time teenager’s sleep and brain function changes mean that adolescence can often be seen as a time of low confidence. Combine this with pressure to look a certain way or excel at sports and you can see why teenagers sometimes choose risky dietary behaviours.
Research shows that energy drinks are consumed by approximately 30-50% of today’s teenagers, often as a way to increase metabolism or as a meal replacement for weight loss. Energy drinks often contain high levels of caffeine and have been associated with seizures, diabetes, cardiac abnormalities, or mood and behavioural disorders when taken in large amounts. Additionally, the high levels of sugar often found in energy drinks can lead to mood swings, increased weight and tooth decay – often the exact opposite of what the teenager was trying to achieve. While energy drinks have no positive contribution to a healthy diet, if they are going to be consumed, this should be done in moderation and definitely not every day.
These diets promise a way to rid the body of ‘harmful toxins’ often by going on a very restrictive diet or a liquid fast. The basic idea is always the same – very restrictive eating for a short period.
The problem is, teenager’s bodies (like most healthy bodies) already have a way to get rid of supposed ‘toxins’ – it’s called a liver. In fact, there is no evidence to suggest that detox diets aid this process in any way. Yes, most people will lose weight however in the vast majority of cases this weight will be regained once normal eating resumes. Detox diets mean cutting out nutrients that are important to your teenager’s growth and development and could potentially have long-term impacts especially on things like bone health and neurological development. Therefore, if your teenager really wants to ‘detox’, suggest she tries cutting down on processed sugar, alcohol, and caffeine and increasing her water and vegetable intake. This will help promote the rejuvenating effects and weight loss desired in a much healthier manner.
Many of these products are considered herbal supplements and therefore are unregulated in many countries. This means they could contain harmful products (or just nothing at all) and you wouldn’t know. In rare cases, these pills have led to deaths, stomach issues, vomiting and hospitalization. However, in most cases they are just a waste of money and simply don’t work. Diet pills should never be taken without thorough consultation with a healthcare professional and only as prescribed. Ask your teenager this, ‘if weight loss was as simple as taking a pill would we really have an obesity epidemic in our country?’
If your teenager is overweight or seems to be obsessed by diets and quick fixes it can really help to work together as a family. Try to include her in growing, preparing and cooking simple healthy meals from scratch. Cooking together and eating together is the most effective way that a healthy and enjoyable attitude to eating, food and diet can be achieved. It can also really help to promote a healthy weight and diet as often it is the hidden, refined sugars in soda, energy drinks, fast food and ready meals that can contribute to obesity and weight gain in the adolescent years.
