Physical Activity and Nutrition

Given the decrease in teen smoking, drug use, unintended pregnancy and motor vehicle mortality, the adolescents entering the new millennium might be the healthiest ever, with one big exception: their eating habits. The increase in overweight and obesity among U.S. children and adolescents has been called America’s newest epidemic. Overweight and obese teens face immediate health problems, such as high cholesterol, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, polycystic ovary syndrome, as well as emotional issues. Excess weight in adolescence carried into adulthood also predisposes youth for serious adult health risks such as coronary heart disease, stroke, gall bladder disease, some types of cancer and osteoarthritis of the weight-bearing joints. The flip side of obesity is anorexia and eating disorders, which have their onset in adolescence.

BEST PRACTICES

Nutrition

1. Parents - Family knowledge and habits regarding a healthy diet are the earliest steps to preventing adolescent overweight and obesity. Teens and parents need more consumer awareness about reasonable food and beverage portion sizes. Pregnant and parenting teens need education about the potentially protective effect of breastfeeding against the development of later obesity in their infants.
2. Schools - Schools can promote healthful dietary patterns by ensuring that school lunches are healthy and attractive to teens and by providing healthier snack options.
3. Communities - Communities can seek demonstration grants to address the lack of access to and availability of healthy affordable foods in inner cities.

Physical Activity

1. Parents - Parents and older siblings can model participation in physical activity and/or support their teen’s pursuit of athletic activity.
2. Schools - Where it has been cut, schools can restore physical education to the daily schedule. Where physical education classes are still available, schools can devote more class time to actual participation and increase the levels of intensity.
3. Communities - Communities can support youth sports and recreation programs that offer a range of activities that are accessible and attractive to teens. Communities can be creative in zoning and transportation planning to make it convenient, safe and attractive for teens to walk and ride bicycles.

Helpful Links:

Colorado Health Foundation
LiveWell Colorado
Colorado Best Practices Website
Colorado Coalition for Healthy Schools
Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre Program