Should teens diet if they are obese?

Anyone who is obese should drastically change their diet or expect a shortened life span,and years on unhealthiness.

Well, you should probably diet if you're obese, no matter what your age.

It depends on 'how' they are obese; people often mistake obesity for meaning someone has an extremely high amount of body fat, when really it just means you have a body mass index in excess of ~30. For example, my old sports teacher was legally obese, just because he had a lot of muscle while being quite short ; )

If someone has an excessive amount of body fat, they should excercise more often and eat healthier food - diets are rarely as effective as simply having a healthy lifestyle for weight loss...

IMO, diets are really just for people who have health issues, like high blood pressure, bad diabetes, etc - it is a system where you eat specific foods and nothing else... Food doesn't help you loose weight, it's what makes you put it on ; )

The only way to get rid of fat is to remove it (duh, but some people don't seem to realise this). You can remove fat by burning it off or physically removing it, not by eating certain types of food...

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To clarify everything:

Obesity isn't always unhealthy, it just is when you are obese because of the amount of fat you have.

Diets can be a -part- of losing weight, but they are NOT the solution.

^ You loose weight by getting rid of the fat you already have, not by stopping yourself from gaining much more...

^ Small amounts of fat are a part of a healthy diet, but this is pretty much just the amount you'd get from eating normal, healthy food.

*Important* If you are going to go on a diet (recommended if you are obese due to fat), get one from a qualified nutritionist! -N-O-T- those stupid fad diets... If you really want to lose weight, go all in and get yourself the qualified help that you deserve; you at least owe yourself that much.

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I am not a health professional, these are just 'my' views on the subject.

No fad diets... Drop the fast food (which many teens eat at least once-a-day)... Eat more fruits and vegetables... Don't drink regular (or caffinated) pop (diet pop, skim or 2% milk - no chocolate 0 if you're worried about sweetners, try Splenda)... no candy - at least keep to once-a-week - and then only one candy bar)... Keep meats to the size of you hand... Watch the stuff made with white flour (white bread - try potato bread, same with buns, most pasta (use multigrain), etc.

If you can't follow a diet like the above, simply switch from regular to diet drinks, and don't eat NEAR as much as before.

Get out and exercise (walk or jog) and leave the TV and video games alone) a few days a week.

Do NOT use "fad" diets. Read Dr Phil's or Bob Greene's diet book(s) - basically lifestyle changes. Talk to a doctor before you do anything to make sure you're healthy enough to diet. He can recommend a dietician to help pick the "right" foods.

umm... but what if they are obese and how can they reduce their weight?

No! They should try to eat healthy! Something that will keep them healthy. Not a fad quik fix.

do you mean diet or fix their crappy eating habits?

It would be beneficial for their health and physical appearance.

So Yes.

I was obese...about 213 at 5'5 and i did lose the weight...keeping in mind that i should eat breakfast, and always have my milk products handy. An obese teen still needs everything that a healthy teen does to maintain proper health...so yeah dieting is okay but just try to develope better habits and grow with them. KEEP DETERMINED also..good luck

Anyone who is obese should be on a diet.

They shouldn't be forced to, but it's definitely in their best interests...

No. They should get more exercise and cut out the fast food.

anyone who's obese should practice moderation with their portions of food, and try to exercise regularly.

Anyone who is diagnosed as obese needs to change their entire lifestyle.

Healthy diet: yes
Excercise: yes

It depend on if they want to, and what kind of diet. diet pills aren't in any way healthy, but natural changing your food intake diets are good.

I think so. To control peer pressure and own emotion about own physique.

Yes, but they should also be taught a very thurough set of courses on nutrition, anatomy, physiology, fitness, and general miscelaneous health science ... so that they will understand both their own bodies and the food they put into their bodies ...

Diet in what sense? Like follow one of the fad diets that crop up from time to time? I'd say 'no' on that one.

Diet in the sense of better food choices & exercise? Yes.

Yes, as long as it is a healthy diet.

As someone who has been through it, I believe that nobody should ever be forced to diet, no matter their age. All that will do is make them miserable and engender bitterness. Instead, find something that will motivate them to WANT to lose weight.

The use of the word diet is not good. I agree with everyone here. Eat healthy and with moderate exercise, the weight will come off most of the time. The only downfall is with the video game society. When I was a kid, we had to go outside and play.... do things... be active. Today we have too many reasons to not move around. TV, video games, texting instead of getting up off your duff and going to your friends house. We have become a lazy society. No wonder our world is getting unhealthier

Teens, just like EVERYONE else, should eat healthy and exercise appropriately. There are very few people for whom that will not keep them at a healthy weight, and those people are the ones who should be treated by a doctor for some imbalance (often a thyroid problem - real, but treatable) so that good food and good exercise will then get them to a healthy weight. Really people... it's not that complicated.

Yes if by diet you mean eat only healthy foods until they lose weight.

Yes, anyone is is overweight to the point of being able to be called obese needs to diet. But you have to look at it as a lifestyle change. Diets do not last, you have to just want to change yourself. Do not think it would get done quickly either. Take the time, eat right, work out(any way even out of a gym) and then you just feel healthier. If not anyone of any age will have problems with their liver, heart, kidneys, and self esteem. Teens especially...that period in the life is hard enough. Should not have to deal with being teased cause of the weight.

G'day Colliecaillait,

Thank you for your question.

Yes but use a sensible diet developed by a qualified nutritionist. Don't use fad diets that don't work.

I was an obese teen who didn't and I have ongoing problems.

Regards