Diets for Kids at Age 12

The number of overweight American children has increased by 100 percent over the past two decades, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Lack of exercise and the availability and advertisement of unhealthy foods contribute to this epidemic. Yet our culture's obsession with being thin also contributes to overweight and obesity. Dieting and disordered eating practices are linked to life-long weight problems. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine reports that 36 percent of adolescent boys and 44 percent of adolescent girls are trying to lose weight and 20 to 30 percent of these kids use dangerous or unhealthy dieting practices.

Adolescent Nutritional Needs

• Eating habits and self-image beliefs take root during this time of life.

  An overview of adolescent nutrition posted on the World Health Organization's website emphasizes the importance of proper nutrition. Only in the first year of life do humans go through such accelerated and intense growth. Over 80 percent of additional growth occurs from 10 to 15 years of age. In general, girls begin their growth spurts at about 10 years old and boys begin at about 12 years old. Nutrition is so important because 20 to 50 percent of an adolescent's ideal adult weight gain, 15 to 20 percent of their adult height and 45 percent of their essential fat and muscle development occurs during this period. An adolescent's self-image and self-esteem is greatly affected by their physical development, and the way it occurs is affected by available nutrients. An adolescent's dietary habits, good or bad, can become ingrained during this time. Adolescents need to ingest higher levels of calcium, iron, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and the B-group of vitamins. These nutrients are often lacking when nutrition is restricted or food groups are left out of the diet.

Dieting and Weight Gain

• Dieting is linked to overweight and obesity.

  A large, long-term 2003 study published in Pediatrics reports that adolescents that dieted were more likely be overweight after three years than kids who didn't diet. Dieters are more likely to binge eat and go through cycles of food restriction followed by bouts of overeating. Even when adolescents lost weight temporarily, the practice of dieting promoted weight gain over the long-term.

Disordered Eating

• Disordered eating practices have long-term health effects.

  Disordered eating includes habits other than practices specifically classified as eating disorders. Bingeing, dieting and purging, skipping meals or leaving out food groups, using appetite suppressants, laxatives and taking up smoking are examples of disordered eating habits. Adolescents often cycle through disordered eating practices and eating disorders.

  Many adolescents have unrealistic ideals about their bodies and large numbers experience body dissatisfaction reports AT Health. This dissatisfaction leads to unhealthy dieting practices, growth impairments, emotional problems and often, obesity. Adolescents can get locked into a vicious cycle of disordered eating, anxiety and depression. These emotional problems double the risk of obesity.

Disordered Eating Effects

• Body dissatisfaction and disordered eating can cycle with anxiety and depression.

  Lack of proper nutrition and disordered eating habits at this stage of life can lead to arthritis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis later on. Unhealthy eating practices stunt growth, damage vital organs and can lead to cardiac arrest. Diets for 12 year olds can set up such unhealthy practices and damage self-esteem.

Instead of Diets

• Teaching kids about healthy choices is a better tactic than dieting.

  PCRM recommends that parents help their kids make healthier choices rather than count calories. Choosing fruits, vegetables and whole grains and increasing physical activity will lead to healthy weight, optimal growth and establish the good relationships so few adolescents have with food today.