Who should lose weight, and who should "grow into" his or her weight"? A 13 year old girl who weighs 200 pounds will not grow into her weight because that weight is too high to be healthy unless she reaches 6' tall. Recommendations from a committee of experts, published in the medical journal Pediatrics, and currently under review, state that weight loss is recommended for overweight teens who have:
- a BMI in the 95th percentile or higher.
- a BMI from the 85th up to the 95th percentile if they have medical problems, such as high blood pressure, related to their weight.
However, for teens whose weight problems are less serious - that is, those with a BMI placing them from the 85th up to the 95th percentile and without weight-related medical problems - maintenance is recommended, because they can grow into their weight through physical activity and healthy eating. For young people in this category who are finished growing, gradual weight loss would be appropriate, according to Sarah Barlow, MD, a member of the committee.
What's a safe rate of slimming down for overweight teens who meet the criteria for a weight loss? Dr Barlow says, "I'm comfortable with a teen losing at a rate of one to two pounds per week. Losing faster than that may mean that the body will start losing too much muscle tissue along with the fat, and that's not healthy. If a teen's hungry all the time, that's another sign that a diet is too strict and weight loss is too fast."
The best way to find out whether an overweight teen should be losing weight or "waiting it out," according to the guidelines, is to check with a physician.
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