BodiMojo Teen Health Blog – Teenage Nutrition, Fitness, Stress, Relationships & More

A Closer Look at “Sexting” Among Teens

January 19th, 2012 by Samantha Burns

Many of us are guilty of innocent flirting, but some teens have taken it a step further with sexting. While teens today are comfortable with sharing many personal things online, how far is too far?

A new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that sexting among teens is not as common as it appears, with about 1 in 10 teens between the ages of 10-17 using their phone to send or receive nude pictures.

Teen motives for sending sexual text usually say they are flirting or just sending romantic messages to a boyfriend or girlfriend. Teens are so used to documenting their lives online that a “sext” to show off, entice someone, or prove commitment may not be as shocking to teens as to an outsider.

Sexting backfires when an often impulsive decision comes back to haunt teens or when a image or message is broadcast.

Remember, that “send” button can’t be undone.

Samantha Burns, a Boston area mental health counselor, thinks it’s best to keep some things private.

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A New Year, A New Diet: Starting 2012 with Healthy Eating for Teens

January 17th, 2012 by Karen Feldscher

Every January—after the December holidays when teens usually indulge themselves with all kinds of yumminess—you’re bombarded with tips on how to get in shape and eat better. Next year, you might tell yourself, we’ll be healthier!

This January’s no different, of course. The web is chock full of information on healthy snacks, superfoods, how to avoid trans fats, and more. It’s a bit much, really.

But—there’s definitely some interesting information out there. Is any of it relevant for teens?

You bet.

Here are just a few tidbits:

“Multigrain” is not necessarily good for you. Sure, “multigrain” sounds healthy, but the truth is that “multigrain” means a combination of grains, and some multigrain products include mostly white, refined flour—which is the kind that is associated with obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. So don’t just automatically eat something because it says it’s “multigrain”—check the food label and make sure the first ingredient listed is some type of whole grain.

Popcorn can be a healthy snack. Surprising, right? It’s a whole grain food, high in fiber, and low in calories. Of course, if you coat it in butter, it won’t be low-cal, and too much salt isn’t great for you either. But if popcorn is air-popped, or cooked on the stove with a small amount of canola oil, it’s a good snack choice.

Greek yogurt—yum! It’s thick, creamy, and packed with protein, calcium, potassium and vitamins. This is a great snack. Plus it’s everywhere these days, in easy-to-eat single-serving containers. Make sure to go for nonfat or low-fat and not too much added sugar! Your best bet would be to eat it plain and add your own fruit.

Those are just a few examples. Want more healthy eating tips? Check out BodiMojo’s nutrition information. Or read more:

• Teen blogger Kendall Stewart lists healthy foods to add to your diet.

• Learn how to eat healthy at fast food joints.

• Read about healthy choices for between-meal snacks.

Have a great—and healthy—2012!

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