Teach The Importance Of Healthy Eating And Physical Activity - Healthy Tips For Your Teens

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 02 Jan 2006 - 4:00 PDT

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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.

healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines/index.html

Tips from The US Surgeon General
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
www.hhs.gov
www.surgeongeneral.gov