Our young people today are getting more figure-conscious. Thanks to the constant exposure to television and the Internet, teenagers, especially girls, now have it ingrained deep in their subconscious to look great. Of course, looking great means not having an ounce of fat in their bodies, like the way their favorite teeny-bopper idols look on television.

The fact that teenagers today are paying more attention to their health is a good thing. It is never too early to inculcate in them the importance of looking good, both for health and aesthetic reasons. The downside is, they are too young and their minds get easily swayed by the numerous fad diets and other unhealthy practices promoted by their role models– the equally young (and even old) Hollywood celebrities who should just have minded their acting than needlessly give advice on the crash diets that worked best for them.

With all the information that our teenagers have to process today, the role of parents in guiding them towards healthy lifestyle practices cannot be underestimated. The teenage years are turbulent times for any individual physically, emotionally and socially. The pressure to conform to standards set forth by their peers and the corresponding alienation felt by an overweight adolescent among his or her circle is enough to drive him or her to weight loss practices that are unhealthy and dangerous to his or her still growing and developing body. Read the rest of this entry »