Download How to Turn Teen Bad Food Habits to Healthy Eating

Our "Eating Habits Questionnaire"
Eating Habits Questionnaire
We’d like you to fill in the following questionnaire in order to collect some information about you
and your eating habits.
Class: ___________ Male ___ Female ___ Age: __________
1. Do you have breakfast before going to school?
¨ Always
¨ Sometimes
¨ Never
2. What do you normally have for breakfast?
¨ Bread
¨ Cereals
¨ Milk
¨ Coffee
¨ Juice
¨ Yogurt
¨ Cookies
¨ Fruit
¨ Something else: ____________
3. Do you usually have a snack in the morning/ in the afternoon?
¨ Always
¨ Sometimes
¨ Never
4. How often do you eat salad or vegetables with lunch or dinner?
¨ Always
¨ Frequently
¨ Sometimes
¨ Rarely
¨ Never
5. Do you usually eat soup?
¨ Everyday
¨ 2 or 3 times a week
¨ Rarely
¨ Never
6. How many times a week do you eat fish?
¨ Everyday
¨ 2 or 3 times a week
¨ Rarely
¨ Never
7. How often do you eat fruit?
¨ Everyday
¨ 2 or 3 times a week
¨ Rarely
¨ Never
8. Do you usually have a dessert with your lunch or dinner?
¨ Always
¨ Frequently
¨ Sometimes
¨ Rarely
¨ Never
9. What do you usually have for dessert?
¨ Fruit
¨ Yogurt
¨ Cake
¨ Coffee
¨ Something else: ________
10. What do you drink at meals?
¨ Water
¨ Wine
¨ Juice
¨ Tea
¨ Something else: _________
11. How frequently do you eat at fast food restaurants?
¨ Never
¨ 2 or 3 times a week
¨ Almost everyday
¨ Everyday
12. Do you use food supplements to complete your diet?
¨ Yes
¨ No
13. Do you think you have healthy eating habits?
¨ Yes
¨ No
Thank you for your cooperation and don’t forget to have a healthy diet!
ADOLESCENCE PSYCHOLOGY
The adolescent period is from the age of thirteen to nineteen and is named as teenage period.
Maximum physical development of the internal and external organism of the body is attained.
It is a period of joy and happiness and the teen does not want to miss what he aspires. Sometimes he
is in moods and bursts in tears instantly. Emotional development is at peak. Thus, there is no
emotional stability in general.
Socially, the group feeling is at its maximum and wants to shine in the group. There is a natural
ability to understand the feelings of others. There is the eagerness for opposite sex.
5 Problems of adolescents:
i) Emotional tension:
Emotional development is at maximum and unstable. Self respect and personal pride make the
individual expects the things to be done as he aspires.
ii) Personal appearance:
This is a significant problem. The adolescent is much worried about the appearance with modern
and latest life style at any cost.
iii) Emancipation:
It is the ambition for freedom from parental sovereign. The individual hates control of the parents.
He seeks identity to himself.
iv) Economic independence:
This is another problem of economic independence. Money from parents for personal expense is a
major problem.
v) Social adjustment:
The most difficult problem is related to social adjustment outside the family and to peer group.
Healthy Eating Tips
A few things to keep in mind while planning a diet for a high school kid.
•
They should eat at least three meals a day. (regular meals)
• At this age, eating breakfast can upstart the metabolism, which will help in mood control, weight
control and school performance. (breakfast is fundamental)
• Caloric needs vary depending on their growth rate, degree of physical maturation, body
composition, and activity level. (caloric needs)
• The kids of this age group eat too much high caloric snack food and high fat food because of
school, sports and work schedules overlapping with regular meal times, which has to be
avoided.(caloric snacks and fat food)
• Snacks should be wholesome and not only a source of energy but also proteins and other
essential nutrients. (healthy snacks)
• Kids can choose healthier drinks by having fruit juice or fruit flavored carbonated water and
water instead of soda.(healthy drinks)
• Adequate amounts of calcium and iron are particularly important as the body of high school kids
undergo this intensive growth period.(calcium and iron need)
(in conclusion) diet and nutrition patterns adopted during these developmental years will set the
stage for life-long habits which can make the difference between vitality and infirmity in later years.
Some Common Diseases

Among high school students, being overweight is generally caused by lack of physical
activity and poor eating habits. Students eat lunches that commonly include pizza, burgers,
chips, soda, candy, and ice cream. These food are the cause for obesity. Being overweight
increased the risk of dying by about one-third. Being obese more than doubled it.( Obesity
and overweight)

Students who are overeating or have a eating disorder are at risk for heart attack, developing
high blood pressure and high cholesterol, kidney disease , arthritis, bone deterioration.(risks)

Sexual maturation and linear growth is affected by low dietary intake. (sexual maturation)
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Most students with eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia nervosa can lead to
convulsions, irregular heartbeats, kidney failure, osteoporosis, and dental erosion.(eating
disorders).
Reasons for Obesity
(tv commercials)
Teens are highly exposed to television commercials that advertise junk foods, which taste great..
Sometimes, the parents, too, are obese who survive on greasy foods and this in turn influences the
children to a great extent. They copy the bad eating habits of their parents and become obese too.
(psychological stress)
Psychological stress is another cause of obesity. When teens are subjected to the parents’ quarrels
or separation they turn to greasy foods which work as a stress buster for them. Lack of the most
elementary parental control on these teens lead them to an undisciplined life and they fall prey to
bad eating habits.
How to Turn Teen Bad Food Habits to Healthy Eating
by Dr. Patricia Fioriello on December 31, 2009
Different Teenage Eating Habits
Teenagers having bad food habits are mostly of four types. The first group loves to skip their
breakfast, the second loves to have anything they find tasteful, the third group loves restaurant food
and hates home food, and the last group loves to live on soft-drinks. Needless to say, all these habits
have a detrimental effect on the health of the teenagers.
The Importance of Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important food for metabolism skipping which can destroy your child’s
health.
Start with Healthy Snacks
Give your children healthy snacks and fresh fruits whenever they feels hungry and don’t let them
get access to high-calorie and high-fat fast foods. Make delicious but healthy food for your children
to make them get out of the habit of running to restaurants whenever they feels hungry. Allow them
once a week to have meals outside. Make fruit juices ready in your refrigerator to get rid of the
habit of having soft-drinks every now and then.
Eating healthy food should be coupled with adequate exercise.
(introduction)
Many kids — particularly teens — are concerned about how they look and can feel self-conscious
about their bodies. This can be especially true when they are going through puberty, and undergo
dramatic physical changes and face new social pressures.
Unfortunately, for a growing proportion of kids and teens, that concern can grow into an obsession
that can become an eating disorder. Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa
cause dramatic weight fluctuation, interfere with normal daily life, and damage vital body functions.
Adults can help prevent kids from developing an eating disorder by nurturing their self-esteem, and
encouraging healthy attitudes about nutrition and appearance. Also, if you are worried that your
child may be developing an eating disorder, it's important to intervene and seek proper medical
care. This is also true if there is any family history of eating disorders.
About Eating Disorders
Generally, eating disorders involve self-critical, negative thoughts and feelings about body weight
and food, and eating habits that disrupt normal body function and daily activities.
While more common among girls, eating disorders can affect boys, too. They're so common in the
U.S. that 1 or 2 out of every 100 kids will struggle with one, most commonly anorexia or bulimia.
Unfortunately, many kids and teens successfully hide eating disorders from their families for
months or even years.
anorexia
People with anorexia have an extreme fear of weight gain and a distorted view of their body size
and shape. As a result, they strive to maintain a very low body weight. Some restrict their food
intake by dieting, fasting, or excessive exercise. The small amount of food they do eat becomes an
obsession.
bulimia
Bulimia is characterized by habitual binge eating and purging. Someone with bulimia may undergo
weight fluctuations, but rarely experiences the low weight associated with anorexia. Both disorders
can involve compulsive exercise or other forms of purging food they have eaten, such as by selfinduced vomiting or laxative use.
Although anorexia and bulimia are very similar, people with anorexia are usually very thin and
underweight but those with bulimia may be a normal weight or even overweight. Binge eating
disorders, food phobia, and body image disorders are also becoming increasingly common in
adolescence.
(in conclusion)
It's important to remember that eating disorders can easily get out of hand and are difficult habits to
break. Eating disorders are serious clinical problems that require professional treatment by doctors,
therapists, and nutritionists.
Causes of Eating Disorders
The causes of eating disorders aren't entirely clear. However, a combination of psychological,
genetic, social, and family factors are thought to be involved.For kids with eating disorders, there is
a large gap between the way they see themselves and how they actually look. People with anorexia
or bulimia frequently have an intense fear of gaining weight or being overweight and frequently
think they look bigger than they actually are.
There is also an increased incidence of other problems among kids and teens with eating disorders,
like anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Sometimes, problems at home can put
kids at higher risk of problem eating behaviors.
(Responsibilities of media)
Some research suggests that media images contribute to the rise in the incidence of eating disorders.
Most celebrities in advertising, movies, TV, and sports programs are very thin, and this may lead
girls to think that the ideal of beauty is extreme thinness. Boys, too, may try to emulate a media
ideal by drastically restricting their eating and compulsively exercising to build muscle mass.
(early age)
Concerns about eating disorders are also beginning at an alarmingly young age. Research shows
that 42% of first- to third-grade girls want to be thinner, and 81% of 10-year-olds are afraid of being
fat. In fact, most kids with eating disorders began their disordered eating between the ages of 11 and
13.
(Self esteem and sense of control)
Many kids who develop an eating disorder have low self-esteem and their focus on weight can be
an attempt to gain a sense of control at a time when their lives feel more out-of-control.
The Effects of Eating Disorders
While eating disorders can result from serious mental and behavioral health conditions, as well as
trauma , they can lead to very serious physical health problems. Anorexia or bulimia may cause
dehydration and other medical complications like heart problems or kidney failure. In extreme
cases, eating disorders can lead to severe malnutrition and even death.
With anorexia, the body goes into starvation mode and the lack of nutrition can affect the body in
many ways:

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

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a drop in blood pressure, pulse, and breathing rate
hair loss and fingernail breakage
loss of periods
inability to concentrate
anemia
swollen joints
brittle bones
With bulimia, constant vomiting and lack of nutrients can cause:

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
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constant stomach pain
damage to the stomach and kidneys
tooth decay (from exposure to stomach acids)
"chipmunk cheeks," when the salivary glands permanently expand from throwing up so
often
loss of periods
loss of the mineral potassium (this can contribute to heart problems and even death)
Warning Signs
Someone with anorexia might:






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
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become very thin, frail, or emaciated
be obsessed with eating, food, and weight control
weigh herself or himself repeatedly
count or portion food carefully
only eat certain foods, avoid foods like dairy, meat, wheat, etc. (of course, lots of people
who are allergic to a particular food or are vegetarians avoid certain foods)
exercise excessively
feel fat
withdraw from social activities, especially meals and celebrations involving food
be depressed, lethargic (lacking in energy), and feel cold a lot
Someone with bulimia might:

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fear weight gain
be intensely unhappy with body size, shape, and weight
make excuses to go to the bathroom immediately after meals
only eat diet or low-fat foods (except during binges)
regularly buy laxatives, diuretics,
spend most of his or her time working out or trying to work off calories
withdraw from social activities, especially meals and celebrations involving food
EAT THE COLOURS
Eat fruit and vegetables of different colours during the day. Each
colour has a special protective purpose for your health.
WHITE
RED
YELLOW/ BLUE/PURPLE
ORANGE
GREEN
Garlic,
cawliflower,
Onion,
Fennel,
Mushrooms,
Apples,
Pears,
Leek,
Celery.
Tomatoes,
Turnips,
Radishes,
Peppers,
Beetroots,
Watermelon,
Red oranges,
cherries,
strawberries
Oranges,
Lemons,
Tangerines
Melon
Apricots
Peaches
Medlars
Carrots
Peppers
Pumpkin
Corn
Asparagus
Basil
Chard
Broccoli
Cabbage
Artichokes
Cucumbers
Chicory
Lettuce
Courgettes
Parsley
Kiwi
White grapes
Aubergines(eggplants)
Radicchio
Figs
Berries
Plums
Black grapes