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Obesity in adolescent girlsObesity in adults has become a topic of national concern and a health risk that can lead to serious medical problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The significant rise in childhood obesity in recent years is even more concerning, prompting the medical field to increase efforts to educate parents about proper nutrition for their children, and the benefits of exercise. According to a study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (April 2005), adolescent girls can potentially avoid significant weight problems when their parents emphasize regular meals, monitor possible depression, and take responsibility for their own healthy weight level. The authors interviewed 496 adolescent girls, ages 11 to 15 years, and identified several important points. First, erratic eating such as skipping meals, promotes weight gain because an adolescent's body does not get a regular supply of nutrients. This inconsistent nutrition can alter physiological responses and disrupt the normal appetite pattern, resulting in unhealthy eating and the risk of weight gain. Eating three meals a day continues to be a much healthier option than only snacking most of the day or deliberately skipping meals. A second finding suggests that depressive symptoms in adolescent girls can also contribute to weight gain. Low levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects emotional states, can lead individuals to consume excessive amounts of carbohydrate-rich foods in an effort to regulate their serotonin levels. Such foods include bread, cereals, pasta, rice, and potatoes, which are basically nutritious, but can lead to significant weight gain when consumed regularly in large amounts. A third finding indicated that an adolescent girl's perception of her parents' weight is also a factor in future weight gain. The risk of obesity was more than four times higher for adolescents who reported having an obese parent as compared to peers who did not have obese parents. This factor was present for girls who were raised by biological as well as non-biological parents, indicating that both family genetics and environment can be reasons for a child's weight gain. In other words, parents need to not only teach their children about healthy eating and exercise, but must also practice those same behaviors and be a positive role model. Contributed by Ken Loos, MS, LMLP, LCP Prevention, Education, and Outreach Department. Mail questions to: High Plains Mental Health Center, PLAIN SENSE, Prevention, Education, and Outreach Department (PEO), 208 East 7th, Hays, KS 67601; or visit www.highplainsmentalhealth.com. 7/28/08 Date: 7/21/08
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