how important is a healthy diet for a teenager?

Question

i am a protesting for a salad bar at my high school and i need some FACTS so that i can prove my point. i really want everyone to WANT a salad bar, every little bit will help. thanks again!

Answer 1

A healthy diet and adequate exercise maximizes the likelihood of teens growing up healthy and strong. Because teens are still growing and adding bone mass, a balanced diet is essential to your child's health. Provide three nutritious meals a day, with fruits and vegetables, supplemented with healthy snacks.

Avoid foods and drinks that are high in sugar, fat or caffeine. Choose fruits, vegetables; bread cereal, other grains; lean meats, chicken, fish; and low fat dairy products.

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines, as well as the new recipe book A Healthier You based on the Guidelines, can help you plan healthy meals for yourself and your teen. Teenagers also need 30 to 60 minutes of physical activities 3 or more times a week.

Obesity and overweight, even in children, can significantly increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses, and the vast majority of overweight teens go on to become overweight adults. Healthy eating and exercise will ensure that your child maintains a healthy weight.

Answer 2

in high school, I used to be really overweight- like 155 lbs. at age 17. people like you are what I really needed in high school. being fat in high school affects your whole life as I just had 4 children and am back to being 155 lbs.
it affects your self-esteem and the way you respect yourself. an overweight person who can not fit into a "cool" pair of pants especially in high school can ruin a person. high schoolers need to eat more healthy- like salads. if I had a salad bar in my school instead of pizza (which I have an addiction to) and gyros, sloppy joe's, I would have been a lot more healthy and ready to help myself out nutritionally.
I am still trying to work off weight from when I was a teenager (I am 24 now with kids) and it is difficult. Because I was never taught or instilled how to eat properly, it is even more difficult!

Answer 3

Your teenage years are an excellent time for a healthy diet; you will learn healthy eating choices that will last a lifetime if you don't get seduced by greasy, unhealthful choices. Do what you must in a peaceful, life-affirming way to get your school to install that salad bar; meanwhile, continue to eat healthfully and be an example to your friends.

Answer 4

Hi PrettyBirdy823! That is great that you are taking the initiative to help improve the health and futures of your classmates! That is very rare and very needed!

Saddly, obesity has sky rocketed in this country. Obesity in adolescents has gone way up as well as diabetes in your demographic.

I recommend you search through web journals by the American College of Sports Medicine as well as the American Heart Association.

www.acsm.org
www.americanheart.org

Also, try emailing them informing them of what you are doing. I would have a tough time believing you wouldn't be able to find the best help through them.

Hope this helps!

Justin Brink
B.S. Kinesiology, CPT
http://www.acclaimedfitness.com

Answer 5

your bodies are still developing, so you need nutrients and vitamins and especially the roughage and iron in a salad bar- type meal to help with your bodies function.

Answer 6

A healthy diet is always important for everyone.

Answer 7

I'm trying to lose weight too and it's sooo hard. My aunt is using a weight loss product and it's really working for her. I'm gonna try it and I recommend you try it too. Check their website at
http://www.myl2you.info , my aunt got a free trial and paid only 6.95$ shipping and handling.

Answer 8

if you make healthy choices when you are younger, those choices can go a long way. GOOD LUCK! :D

Answer 9

see if these sites have information you can use. I hope you get it.

Answer 10

greens are essentail to help you digest better.