Health issues with teens

[yvie]

Hi everybody,

I have been mostly vegan for about 2 years and boy do I feel great! I have always been a good weight and have kept physically active all of my life but being a vegan has been icing on the cake.

Anyway I have been noticing more some of the health problems of my friends' teenage children.

One, who has given her child a steady diet over the years of frozen chicken patties, chicken fingers, Burger King, pop, etc has a child with health problems so severe she quit high school in mid grade 10. She was excused from the obligatory gym class in grade 9 because of knee problems (she is obese,) and then in grade 10 she missed so much school because of pleurisy, then asthma, colds, etc. Now she's 17, and she has Acid Reflux problems that are severe enough to keep her home from school. While her mother is my friend she is VERY DEFENSIVE about anyone commenting on her child raising that I cannot give her any dietary suggestions. (In her heart I'm sure she knows anyway.)

My coworker's daughter is a thin 17 year old, and suffers as well from kidney stones and from acid reflux. She can't go through the school day without stomach cramps and feeling like she is going to vomit. Now I don't know as much about this family's diet except that the mom's been on the Atkin's diet for a while. From what I've read, excessive protein can cause both kidney stones and acid reflux problems. It seems like such a shame.

I have a 5 year old in my class who comes to school with no bread, just ham slices and cheese sticks and jelly beans. (her mother works in the health care industry.) I wonder how long before this dear child's kidneys start rebelling too.

Seems to me it is common sense not to eat too much meat, but I guess not.

Anyone else see any problems with teens around them?

[Sunny]

I have noticed over the years that the ratio of slim to obese kids is closing the gap. I remember when I was in school there were maybe 3-4 kids that were overweight and maybe 2 that were obese, now it seems the norm for kids to be overweight. I can't believe that it would not bother these kids to be so big, but they and their parents don't seem to do anything to change the results. My friends daughter is severly overweight, the Dr. told the parents you have to start cooking better foods(they are both familiar with McDougall and know what is healthy and not) or she will spend her adult life obese. They never followed through and at 16 she is in terrible shape and eats very poorly. BTW both her parents are obese, but their oldest daughter(21) is a size 3 or 4, she eats salads and veggies, she does eat SAD foods but not like the rest of the family, as a matter of fact she usually doesn't eat with her family. Good eating should start at home, we have become a very lazy nation when it comes to feeding our families properly, too much fast food or prepared foods that are heated and served.

[noodle]

This post caught my attention because I have two teenage boys (both McDougallers) myself. I am very thankful they are healthy and enjoy all the healthy foods we eat. They have no illnesses, and rarely even get colds or the flu.

When we were SAD eaters, I still never really let them eat junk. I always wanted them to have "three square meals a day." They have never had an oreo cookie, or pop tarts, etc. etc. in their lives. We never have had junky breakfast cereals either.

I think alot of the problem of overweight kids stems from the fact that they are bored alot and spend too much time on their duffs at school, then on their duffs at home infront of the T.V.

When I was growing up, we were always running around playing in the park, or doing various activities such as sports or scouts. My mom did not want us sitting in front of the T.V. during the day. We watched as a family in the evening.

We, as a family, have always strived to do projects that will stimulate our boys creativity and keep them occupied. Food is just that, food, and nothing more to them. In fact, alot of times I have a hard time getting everyone to the table for a meal because they are absorbed in some project!

But I know that the Moms out there are ultimately the ones that have to change what they put in the grocery cart. And people do get touchy when you start commenting about how they should eat.

Oops, I'm rambling. And I hope this is not offensive to anyone. I agree with what everyone has said, but thought I would add this as something to think about.

[serenity]

My daughter is not a McDougaller, but she is very particular about what my grandson eats - at least within the context of a standard diet.

She recently went on a class field trip with him and was telling me the appalling lunches that the class (4 and 5 year olds) brought for lunch. My grandson and one other classmate had lunches that I think most of us would have considered a normal lunch in our childhoods - turkey sandwich, fruit, raw veggies, and sun chips or something similar. Every other child in that class had nothing but candy, chips, fruit leather, etc with few of them even having a sandwich much less anything from the produce department. I wish I could remember the details - your jaw would drop at what can only be described as child abuse.

I feel very sad (no pun intended) and very worried at the nutritional profile of our young. As bad as some of us older folks have eaten in the past, I don't think it can compare to how most young people are eating today.

[Sierra]

Sometimes I have to pick up my daughter from high school (she's a junior), and I see the kids come out to get to their cars and the school buses. It is shocking to see the number of boys and girls that are overweight. No exercise, too much TV, video games, fast food, school lunches = overweight kids.

[yvie]

Yes, children's lunches are definitely an issue. Since I teach kindergarten, I see lots of them. At our school, at my grade level anyway, the lunches really aren't bad. It is a school in a middle to upper middle class neighbourhood and there is usually a good amount of whole wheat bread in there, and usually not much more than one treat.

Here's what I do that seems to pay off. I "encourage" the children to eat a fruit or vegetable every morning as a first snack. I don't "make" them have one, as I don't want problems with the parents. But I did tell the parents at the beginning of the year that I was hoping their children would have a fruit or veggie as a first snack.

In the morning, I go around and "high five" any child that is eating a fruit or veggie, and if the whole class has a fruit or veggie for morning snack, they themselves can pick their own seating later in the day as a reward. My success rate in getting the children to eat a fruit or veggie in the morning is about 90-95%.

I've been doing this for about 3 years or so. The other day I had the opportunity to watch the grade ones eat (my former students) and they almost all ate a fruit or veggie for a morning snack even though it wasn't pushed by their teacher. I figure I did my little part to give the students more energy, better nutrition and (if I'm really lucky...) a lifelong habit.

Unfortunately, I came on board to this lifestyle too late in life for my own two daughters. While they are not overweight, they eat too many chips, pop, and crackers. I don't bring it in the house, but they are teens with their own money so they simply buy it. Can't save my own kids from their bad habits, but perhaps they will one day figure it out for themselves.

[KareninTN]

Yvie, I love the way you are shaping behavior without INSISTING; sounds like it's working, too! Love your sig line, too. That's pretty much how I see it (want it) also.

karenturtle

[Mrs. Doodlepunk]

In the morning, I go around and "high five" any child that is eating a fruit or veggie, and if the whole class has a fruit or veggie for morning snack, they themselves can pick their own seating later in the day as a reward. My success rate in getting the children to eat a fruit or veggie in the morning is about 90-95%.

Oh, Yvie, that is wonderful of you! You are instilling something in those kids that they will always have. It is quite telling that they are still eating that way as first graders. I hope they keep it up.

[Michiru]

This reminds me of an article I read some what recently - I wish I could find it again! It was about how kids are growing up so much faster these days, how kids are actually reaching puberty younger than ever before. What really got my goat in the article is where they have scientific speculations as to why this is happening - they pointed to obesity and better nutrition. I really had to scratch my head at that, I mean, obesity is one thing - but better nutrition?! How the heck would a proper healthy diet cause a child to physically mature before they're mentally capable of handling adulthood?! Nothing in the natural world would support such a claim! The only thing I can think of is people assuming (scientists even!) milk = good nutrition, and with milk being so loaded with growth hormones these days... Sadly, without some sort of major paradigm change, I fear this situation is just going to continue getting worse.

It's amazing when I think about it - back when I was in elementary school (only 15-20 years ago now), "fat" kids were few and far between, and obese kids were especially rare.. Amazing how quickly things change. I fear possibly having kids of my own these days, without becoming over-bearing and trying to completely shelter what kids I may have, there's little to do to avoid the influence of friends and advertising that may very well undermine my efforts to raise a healthy child .. *sigh*

[yvie]

Thanks to all of you who replied...it sure is a different world out there. Thanks for the encouragement on my classroom incentives for fruits and veggies--I'll keep plugging at it!

I do think that if we are the ones who feed our kids, they will still be healthy and of normal weight provided we offer them healthy food, stay away from the junk, and give them opportunities for physical exercise. But can't be too overbearing about it and we should allow some transgressions when they are with their friends or for special occasions.

I may be wrong but I suspect that children who are overweight tend to have parents who either don't eat so well themselves or who are so health conscious that they make too much an issue out of what their kids eat, so much so that their kids rebel. ( I think that's why my oldest loves her potato chips, and why my youngest likes her pop--my two areas of most nagging!)

Any other opinions?

[Roxanne]

I may be wrong but I suspect that children who are overweight tend to have parents who either don't eat so well themselves or who are so health conscious that they make too much an issue out of what their kids eat, so much so that their kids rebel. ( I think that's why my oldest loves her potato chips, and why my youngest likes her pop--my two areas of most nagging!)

I'm sometimes afraid that when I have kids (loooong time away) that this will be an issue. I'm health-obsessed, and I have been since I started losing weight about 4 years ago. I'm scared that I'll eventually nag my children into rebelling with junk food or stress them into emotional eating. I also confess that I'd be disappointed--greatly--if I raised overweight children, and if they ever picked up on that, I'd push them all into eating disorders.

Either that, or I won't know how to feed them at all. Oh boy.

[hope101]

It is a delicate balance, to educate without preaching and pushing. My kids are only 10 and 14, but so far are trim and extremely healthy (knock wood). Some of what has been successful has been unconsciously how we engineered the environment in the home (I would highly recommend the book "Mindless Eating" for tips that set you up for success.) For instance, even when we were omnis, I always cooked only small servings of meat, dished out reasonable serving sizes for them, but made huge salads and had those right at the table where it was easy for them to have second helpings.

My kids always like to know the "why" of everything, so I make an effort to educate them about the scientific aspects of nutrition--the benefits of foods that are good choices, the downsides of other options. I try to model healthy eating as much as possible.

At the same time as there is an ideal way to eat, all of us like our "treats". We set it up when we were young that there just isn't candy or chocolate in the home. If they wanted a treat, almost always we would walk to the closest 7-11 and they could get $1 of loose candies. This was actually a stroke of genius, because it required a total of 4 km walk for them to get the junk, gave us time as a family to visit , and gave them the identity of being fit walkers. They are very proud of this. Over the years they have brought many a friend with us, and all the kids love this ritual.

I personally rarely get the candy, and I notice if we are going for our "sev walks" more than twice a week, they will choose of their own accord to buy a bottled water (no calories) or sugar free gum rather than repeated candy.

We used to have a junk cupboard in our home, and you would be horrified to see what we used to keep in it. Now I stock pretzels, rice cakes, crispy minis, dried fruit, and a variety of nuts and seeds. They graze between meals, but keep the quantities very reasonable. They eat fruit as snacks as well, and will cheer to find cut up watermelon or honeydew in the fridge. I make sure to brag about their good eating habits within their earshot and I know this pleases them immensely.

I do a lot of baking as well. You just can't buy the quality of stuff I can do at home. My kid's palates are geared to eating our homemade food and they will often find restaurant or store food too rich. My 14 year old, of course, has a social network that is expanding. Being vegan helps her make better choices, but she will often come home and tell me herself she ate too many chips or cookies. But she notices she doesn't feel well and makes an extra effort to eat well the next few meals. I try not to criticize her choices away, but to discuss some ways she might handle it next time.

Anyway, who knows if anything will stick as they grow up. I was lucky to grow up in a home that was far healthier than most, but wasn't really conscious of the ways to set up a healthy lifestyle for myself and DH. We floundered for many years until I feel we have finally got it right. When they leave home I plan to set them up with a recipe book of their favourite healthy foods, but then it is up to them. Hopefully they won't take as long as DH and I to return to their "roots".