How to Talk to Teenagers About Losing Weight

According to Jeannette Moninger, writing on Parents.com, there are over 25 million obese or overweight children in the United States alone, as of 2010. Many parents are finding themselves faced with the task of talking to teenagers about weight loss. Talking with a teenager about anything can be a challenge. Talking with a teenager about losing weight can be downright nerve-wracking as it is rife with pitfalls. Finding that delicate balance between delivering information, showing concern and not hurting the child's feelings can be done, however. Armed with information and approaching with care, you can have a talk with a teenager about losing weight and get your point across in a loving manner.

Instructions

• 1

  Examine your motivation. Make sure your conversation with the teenager is about concern for her health, not any selfish motivations you may have, according to Stefanie Hamilton, writing on MyOverweightChild.com. For example, if you want to talk with your teenager about losing weight because you are embarrassed to have an overweight child, deal with that feeling and eradicate it before speaking with her. If you don't, you risk conveying your self-serving motivation to the teenager during the conversation and causing damage to the teenager's self-esteem. Think carefully about what you want to say, then practice a few times if you are nervous.

• 2

  Find an appropriate time to speak with the teenager about his weight. Avoid sitting him down for a talk to curb any feeling of pressure in the teen. Let the talk happen naturally while making dinner or shopping for groceries.

• 3

  Focus on making the talk about a healthy lifestyle. For example, you could explain how exercise is important to burn consumed calories. Ask the teenager what kind of exercise she likes and offer to participate. If your child is generally sedentary, suggest engaging in a physical activity together, like bike-riding, or ask if she'd like to play a sport. Follow through and be encouraging, but don't nag.

• 4

  Build self-esteem during the talk by pointing out accomplishments that have nothing to do with appearance or weight. Children need to understand that their weight doesn't define who they are. Education.com gives examples provided by the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University like telling your child how proud you are of his grades or how impressed you are with what a wonderful friend he is to his peers. Most important, emphasize how much you love him.

• 5

  Talk to the teenager about triggers that can cause overeating and let her know she can talk to you about how she's feeling. Let her know that stress, anxiety and depression can all contribute to reasons why people eat. Pledge to help her find healthy ways to deal with any negative feelings she may have so she can make better food choices on her own.

• 6

  Listen to what the teenager has to say during your conversation about weight loss. Consider his words carefully and incorporate what he needs into the actions you take to aid in his weight loss. For example, if the child talks about not knowing what kinds of healthy foods he likes, the Rudd Center suggests telling the child you'll go to the grocery store together to find healthy foods that he'll like. Assure him this is going to be a team effort and get the entire family involved in healthy eating and exercise so the teenager doesn't feel singled out.