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

What an emotional subject Oprah tackled this week. 

On Monday, she talked with 16 overweight or obese teens and their parents from around the country. The families had also taken part in a daylong “intervention,” run by a husband and wife team, Rich and Yvonne Dutra-St. John, California-based therapists and intervention specialists, who got the kids to talk about their anger and why they eat so much. There were lots of tears and hugs. The show was heartbreaking. These kids are in so much pain.

Oprah talked about how obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. “This could be the first generation of children to not outlive their parents,” she said. “Think about that.”

In between shots of the unhappy teens, a series of stunning statistics flashed on the screen:

• More children will die from bad eating habits than from tobacco, drugs, or alcohol.

• One-third of teens aged 12 to 19 are unfit.

• A typical kid spends 4 to 5 hours a day in front of either a TV, computer, or video game.

• Only 3 out of 10 high school kids eat green vegetables on a typical day.

The teens had very sad tales to tell.

Many had been teased mercilessly at school. Many were dealing with tough family issues that led them to overeat. Many blamed themselves for failing their families.

Many had been — or still were — suicidal.

The teens were back on Tuesday. That show was all about the havoc obesity can wreak on young bodies–and what to do about it.

The teen guests and audience members were quizzed on how much they know about “healthy” foods. For instance, they learned that turkey bacon is NOT healthier than regular bacon, because it has so much sodium. That a Dunkin Donuts glazed donut actually has substantially fewer calories than the chain’s multigrain bagel with light cream cheese. That Pizza Hut’s thin and crusty ham and pineapple pizza is less caloric than its thin and crusty plain cheese pizza — because the ham and pineapple displace the fatty cheese.

Guest Dr. Mehmet Oz, a renowned cardiac physician from Columbia University New York Presbyterian Hospital, talked about how most school cafeterias are full of processed food with little fiber. Another guest, David Zinczenko, author of, “Eat This, Not That! For Kids!” said much of the food sold in the U.S. is full of “hidden sugars, added fats, and empty calories.”

And they all discussed what to do about it. Like eat a healthy protein for breakfast (Zinczenko called eggs “the magic bullet of weight loss”). Eat lean meats and whole grains for lunch. Pick Swiss cheese instead of cheddar. Eat together as a family as often as possible — statistics show that families who eat together three or four times a week have HALF the weight issues as families who eat together only once or twice a week.

Then — the best part — they talked about getting more exercise and making it FUN. Dr. Oz said walking is a great, easy way to burn calories and suggested that the teens use a pedometer to get feedback and motivation. Count steps with friends or classmates and make it like a game, he said. “Don’t make it exercise,” he told them. “Make it cool and fun and hip and edgy!”

At BodiMojo, we couldn’t agree more.

– Contributed by Karen Feldscher, A BodiMojo Mom