Between piles of homework, keeping up with friends, and holding down an after-school job, healthy eating is consistently the last item on the to-do list of today’s teenagers. Most simply grab whatever is within reach, whether it is high-fat potato chips or a sugary snack. But what these adolescents fail to realize is that these simple, mindless decisions can have serious consequences.
“I see a lot of overweight children every day at my job,” Pediatric ICU nurse Lana Parrish, who works at Children’s Mercy Hospital, said. “Many of them were hospitalized for complications based only on the fact that they were overweight or obese. But on the other hand, I also see kids who don’t eat enough. It’s important to find the right balance.”
Unhealthy eating doesn’t only affect the weight of teens, but also their well-being and happiness.
“When you’re being unhealthy, it rebounds everywhere, in every aspect of your life,” Parrish said. “You feel dragged down, tired, and just plain unhappy.”
Simple changes in lifestyle and eating habits, however, can drastically change mood, energy level and vitality.
“There are several small changes teenagers can make right now to help their health in the long run,” Parrish said. “Eliminating soda or pop is one of them. We just don’t need all of those chemicals in our bodies. Cutting down on sugar and processed food can help as well. Also, start moving more. Turn off that TV, and be active when you can.”
Parrish also suggested starting to wear a pedometer and track how many steps are taken each day. The healthy amount would be 10,000, or five miles, every day, but most Americans walk about 5,000 steps. Extra work is needed to reach the 10,000 step goal.
Not all students currently have unhealthy lifestyles. Many have made nutrition their main focus and must sacrifice some tempting foods in order to help their bodies become healthier.
“I think it’s very important to live a healthy lifestyle, because as you get older it becomes more difficult to maintain your health,” senior Connor Pemble said. “Eating right can be a huge benefit to your health. Also, exercise is a must-have to stay healthy.”
Student athletes are especially in need of superior health, and must take extra strides to stay at the peak of their performance. Pemble, who is a cross country runner, has realized this, and has utilized healthy habits in his life.
“During the season I will not eat any fried or fast food, or soda and I try to avoid too many sweet things such as ice cream,” Pemble said. “I try to eat as much whole grains or complex carbohydrates because they help keep your energy up during the races.”
The value of a healthy lifestyle is unlike any other habit, and if learned at a young age, can lead to a much longer, more fulfilling life.
“It takes a lot of willpower and determination to eat healthy, but if you start good habits from the beginning, it’s a lot easier,” Parrish said. “It’s something to pass down from generation to generation, and it leads for the rest of your life.”