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There are no simple solutions to improving your teenager's diet. It can be very difficult for parents of adolescents to convince their children of the benefits of healthier eating when they are also competing with the powerful messages of food advertising. Knowing about 'normal' teenage eating can help put your mind at rest.

GROWING AND CHANGING

Teenagers go through many changes including:

Growth spurts
Teenagers may start eating a great deal as they experience a growth spurt. The amount of food teenagers (both boys and girls) eat and need will sometimes amaze you. It's healthy and not too expensive for teens to 'fill up' on sandwiches, cereals and fruit in season.

On the other hand you may notice that they eat less when they have finished growing. This is also normal and does not necessarily mean that they are trying to lose weight.

Feeling self conscious
Adolescence is a time when personal appearance becomes very important and many teenagers are influenced by the way the media tells them they should look to be 'successful'. It is good if they can accept their natural body size. If your teenager is not slim, but is healthy and happy with her body, she should not be encouraged to lose weight. Strict weight loss or fad diets are unhealthy. Of course, some action should be taken if she is overweight and there is a health concern. The way you handle this can make a lot of difference to how your teenager responds.

• Those involved in sport or dancing may want to change their diet for fitness or appearance. This is alright in moderation, but if they are becoming obsessive or cutting down food too much, this may be a problem. It might be a good time to discuss your concerns with people who work in this field such as a nutritionist or dietitian.
• Teenagers may want to change certain foods in their diet to decrease or prevent acne. This is quite common, particularly when their peers can be quite cruel about pimples. Some foods seem to trigger pimple outbreaks in some people but there is no pimple free diet. Noting what is eaten about the time pimples appear may give an idea about which foods could be triggers. There are more effective ways to combat acne. See PIMPLES for more information

• Teenagers like to go out with their friends and it is very popular for this age group to eat 'fast foods'. This could mean they won't want to eat at the evening meal. Doing this once or twice a week is not harmful to them.

• Sometimes teenagers see other activities, or being with their friends, as more important than having a meal. This can be disappointing or annoying if you have prepared a meal and your teenager says he's going out or doesn't want to eat. Having clear rules in your home which encourage consideration for others is important - for example, letting you know one hour before the expected mealtime that he won't be eating.
• Some young people skip meals to lose weight. Skipping meals does not help to control weight. Skipping breakfast is not a good idea. Research shows that this is the most important meal of the day as it:
  • helps to 'kick start' the metabolism
  • contains important nutrients
  • is important for concentration at school or work in the mornings.
• The key to healthy weight control is to combine regular exercise and a balanced diet.

• Many teenagers begin to experiment with new ways of eating, such as becoming vegetarian. Vegetarianism is healthy, as long as they have checked out the facts on the nutritional contents of foods to make sure they have an adequate diet.
• Just eating fruits and vegetables is definitely not OK. It is especially important for young women to get an adequate supply of iron and calcium to give their bodies the best foundation for the future. What they eat now will affect their health in later life. Help your daughter to be aware of this and to think about the sorts of food she should be choosing. Planning a diet may mean getting professional help.

• Teenagers are keen to feel that they are in control of their own lives and becoming themselves. This is a time of breaking away from family practices (if only temporarily), doing things differently and not wanting to be told what to do.
• They often act as if they know it all and have an answer, usually different from yours(!), to everything. This can make it especially difficult if you believe you should have some influence on what they eat. They may accept information but not advice from you.
• Young people today are surrounded by media (TV, movies, radio, print) which give them messages about the 'desirability' of slimness and beautiful clear skin. It is not easy for teenagers to resist this pressure.

• The way you eat and look after your own body sends a powerful message to your child.
• What you do will influence your young people more than what you say. Enjoy healthy food yourself.
• Have family rules about 'everyday' foods and 'sometimes' foods.
• Avoid fad diets yourself and don't complain about your own body (or others) in front of your teenager.
• Shop for and have foods that are healthy in your cupboards and fridge.

• Help your teenager to view his body changes as a normal part of growing up. Help him to feel comfortable with the fact that everyone's body matures at a different pace. Encourage an acceptance of his shape and size.
• Focus on your teenagers personal qualities - not what he looks like. This will help fight the pressures of society about looking a certain way.
• Encourage regular physical activity, walking or riding instead of always being a passenger.
• Do not become angry if your teenagers don't want to do the things they used to like, for this is a time when many throw away the interests they had in childhood.

• Respect that your daughter may want to eat differently from the family, providing this is reasonable.
• Try to accept the fact that she may have very strong and different views from yours. Turning 'eating' into a 'war' helps no-one and only damages your relationship.

Provide healthy food
Provide a range of mostly wholesome and nutritious food and allow your teenager to decide the amount she needs, and what she wants to eat.

Make sure you provide a wide choice of foods from all five food groups:

• grains (eg bread, pasta, rice, cereal)
• vegetables and legumes
• fruit
• dairy products (milk, yoghurt, cheese)
• meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts.

The bulk of the diet should come from grains, fruit and vegetables.

• Growing teenagers need snacks. Provide food from the above food groups for snacks.
• Making a fuss if your teenager eats lots of less than healthy 'sometimes' foods is not helpful and unlikely to make him stop.

• Give teenagers some responsibilities in family meals.
• Expect both sons and daughters to contribute in some way to food preparation. Encourage them to have a say, even if it's one meal a week, in planning, shopping for and preparing a meal of their own choice for everyone. (Many young adults have few cooking skills and little idea about how to shop wisely when they leave home; so they rely on take-aways).
• Help your child develop these skills and build confidence.

• If you are keen for your children to do the right thing then it is important to practise and pass on food safety tips.
• Wash hands after going to the toilet and before preparing or eating food.
• Wash hands, knives and cutting boards after preparing uncooked foods.
• Keep dish cloths and sponges clean.
• Wash raw fruit and vegetables before eating.
• Always thaw foods in the fridge . . . never at room temperature.
• All animal foods, including eggs, should be well cooked.
• Eat cooked foods straight away. Food that cannot be eaten straight away should be kept hot (at least 60C) or put straight into the fridge.
• If food has to be reheated it should be thoroughly heated (not warmed).
• Do not drink out of a bottle, carton or jug that is to be used by others. Do not share cups or straws.
• Do not cough or sneeze around food. Teach children and young people to cover their mouths and noses if this is unavoidable.

• Support teenagers through fad diets but work with them on making sure their diet meets accepted nutritional needs.
• Learn more about good nutrition yourself from reliable sources - you may be better informed by speaking with a dietitian or nutritionist.
• While taking vitamin, iron and calcium supplements is not needed with a healthy diet, if the diet the young person is willing to eat is low in iron or calcium, supplements may support health growth.