Aussie teens show worst eating, exercising habits at 14

Sydney, October 5: The Australian National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey, which is the largest nationwide survey ever, has found that teens in Australia tend to develop very unhealthy lifestyles which plunge for the worst at the age of 14.

Results from the survey which ran for 10 years, studying 4,400 children from the age group of 2 to 16 years, have now forced one and all to rethink on what needs to be done to make children not just eat healthy but also exercise more.

According to the researchers these teenagers between the ages of 14 to 16 years, are more involved in spending their time in front of the television or the computer and thus, are not exercising adequately. Their outdoor activities too are limited and not sufficient enough for proper body metabolism.

Also, their diets are rich in fats and sugars, thanks to the junk foods they consume, and alarmingly lack fibre rich fruits and vegetables. Their diets are lacking essential micronutrients such as calcium, sodium and magnesium.

99% teenagers were found lacking proper fruit intake while 95% of them did not take enough veggies in their diet. Almost 80% teenage girls had low calcium intakes, increasing their risks of developing osteoporosis in the later stages of life, leading to weak bones.

The survey was sponsored by government departments like the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Australian Food and Grocery Council from the food industry.

For growing kids who are struggling with new physical as well as hormonal changes, it is very important to eat a balanced and healthy diet and exercise well to build a strong and disease resistant body and immune systemdefine.

However, as the kids move into teenage, parents, in their will to form better relationships with their growing children, assert less control on them and allow them more freedom in making their own decisions. This seems to be working against them in this case according to project coordinator Jane Bowen, from the CSIRO.

What parents can do

Ensure a protein rich breakfast for your kid. This would ensure restricted food cravings through out the day. Never forget that example is better than precept, so do what you preach.

Avoid nagging and turn to discussions about food and healthy as well as tasty options.

Try convincing your teenager to take a packed lunch instead of running to the nearest food joint at lunch hour.

Family meals are a must.

Educate the child to consume less of sugars and fat rich food along with aerated drinks, as these are the things that cause obesity. Give them healthy options like switching to fruit juices and learn his/ her favorite food recipes yourself.

It is important to make the children aware that adequate nutrition is mandatory for a healthy physical as well as emotional system.

Girls especially need to know that women have a much greater chance of suffering from osteoporosis as compared to men and thus calcium intakes need to be taken care of much early in life. Out of the total number of people suffering from the disease, 70% are women.

It is also important for parents to realize that the foundation of lifelong food habits is laid in the first five years of a child’s life, thus they need to insist on foods rich in fiber, nutrition and calcium. Frustrating as it might get at times, but this stage of growth in your child’s life needs much more attention from you than you think.