Lifestyle and Weight Loss For Teens

As a mother, I know how tempting it is to let your teenager catch up on sleep over the weekend, but I've learned through research that this habit may be influencing their eating behaviors in ways we never expected.

Tune in to learn more about the  complex relationship between poor sleep, hormonal changes, and cravings that challenge the common notion of 'catching up' on sleep.

Associations ofWeekda...

Ever wonder if teenage habits can shape adult health?

That family debate about whether marijuana contributes to weight issues just got a whole lot more interesting.

Tune in to learn more about the findings of a pivotal study published in the Addict Behavior Journal, which tracked over 5,000 adolescents into early adulthood.

Association between Adolescent Substance Use and Obesity in Young Adulthood: A ...

Are school lunches helping  your teen's health journey?

 Join me as I discuss more the  impact of a la carte menus and vending machines on adolescent eating habits. 

The Association of the School Food Environment With Dietary Behaviors of Young Adolescents, American Journal of Public Health | July 2003, Vol 93, No. 7

Dr Gourgari is a pediatric endocrinologist, certified in obesity medicine expert and weight lo...

I hope every teen girl out there can listen to this episode and learn to love their body.

By exploring the science behind the hormonal shifts of puberty, we can empower our  teens with the power of knowledge and understanding. 

Let's foster a healthy mindset toward these expected changes of puberty and find inner peace by accepting the diversity of our bodies. 

Dr Gourgari is a pediatric endocrinolog...

Is it normal for a 15 year old to have PCOS?

In this episode I talk about insulin resistance and the impact of weight loss on menstrual regularity in teenage girls with PCOS. 

Ornstein RM, Copperman NM, Jacobson MS. Effect of weight loss on menstrual function in adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2011 Jun;24(3):161-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jpag.2011.01.002. Epub 2011 Mar 21. PMID: 21419674.

Dr Go...

Can children may become insulin resistant ? 
How early does this occur and what can we do to prevent this? 
How do you fix insulin resistance in children?

Manuscript presented: 
Jeffery AN, Metcalf BS, Hosking J, Streeter AJ, Voss LD, Wilkin TJ. Age before stage: insulin resistance rises before the onset of puberty: a 9-year longitudinal study (EarlyBird 26). Diabetes Care. 2012 Mar;35(3):536-41. doi: 10.2337/d...

Could your bowl of breakfast cereal be the hidden culprit in a teen's weight loss struggle? Tune in to learn more about the results of a study comparing oatmeal, cornflakes, and just water for breakfast. 

Geliebter A, Grillot CL, Aviram-Friedman R, Haq S, Yahav E, Hashim SA. Effects of oatmeal and corn flakes cereal breakfasts on satiety, gastric emptying, glucose, and appetite-related hormones. Ann Nutr Metab. 2015;6...

Are the weight loss struggles of your teen linked to something deeper than diet and exercise? I  explore the complex relationship between insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, abnormal lipid profiles, and how these factors compound the difficulty of achieving a healthy weight during puberty's hormonal turbulence.

This episode also brings to light a pivotal study: 
Bergström E, Hernell O, Persson LA, Vessby B. In...

I hear a lot from teens that they want to improve their belly fat. Is this possible?
Yes it is!! It is actually a great thing to do, not only so that teens can look more beautiful but also because less belly fat helps decrease the inflammation in the body.

In this episode, I talk about research that was done to investigate the above. 
Listen to learn more.

Title of the manuscript: Visceral fat decreased by...

In the comprehensive Health and Behavior in Teenagers Study (HABITS), valuable insights were gathered from 4,320 students, with an average age of just under 12 years. This research sheds light on an important aspect of our children's lives: how stress influences their eating habits. 

Title of manuscript: Stress and Dietary Practices in AdolescentsArticle in Health Psychology · July 2003 
Martin Cartwright, Jane Wa...

In this episode  I discuss why teenagers decide to get to a healthier weight and how we, as caretakers and supporters, can help maintain that flame of motivation. We're not just talking about health; we're addressing the spectrum of desires from seeking peer acceptance to gearing up for significant life events.

Listen to learn the 17 distinct motivations driving teens toward a healthier lifestyle.

Deta...

Have you ever wondered why keeping muscle mass is key to a teen's healthy weight loss journey? I'm here to share with you essential insights on how a balanced approach to exercise can safeguard your child's muscle mass as they work to lose those extra pounds. This journey isn't just about outward appearances – it's deeply connected to maintaining hormonal balance and optimal cardiovascular health, essential...

Could breakfast be the hidden key to your teen's weight management success? Join me, as I uncover the truth behind the science of breakfast and its impact on adolescent weight. Many parents wrestle with their teens over the morning meal, armed with good intentions but lacking clarity on whether enforcing breakfast can actually aid their child's health. 

As a dedicated advocate for nurturing healthy habits in youn...

Could your teen's stubborn weight issues be linked to an underlying thyroid problem? It's a question that many parents have. We're looking beyond the scale and into the science, with insights from a research study that shed light on this topic ,  on how thyroid medication actually affects weight  in children with low thyroid.

Dr Gourgari is a pediatric endocrinologist, certified in obesity medicine expe...

Are your teenagers grabbing for sport and energy drinks as their go-to refreshers?
 Before you let them gulp down these beverages, join me as I go over  a clinical report by the American Academy of Pediatrics . It has been archived now but I find the content of this report very helpful.

 The views I present here do NOT represent the views of American Academy of Pediatrics.
 
I clarify the difference between sp...

Imagine the mental weight lifted from the shoulders of our adolescent girls once they realize that they are more than the images they see on the internet. 

I present a study conducted in Australia, which sheds light on how constant exposure to the internet and social media fuels teenagers' discontent with their body weight and amplifies their quest for perceived thinness. These platforms promote unrealistic beauty sta...

Are you ready to experience the joy of the holiday season without the guilt of overindulgence? 

I used to get sad and stressed out with Holidays season because I always ended up with some extra weight. I learned over the years a few tips and I wanted to share some ideas that might help you enjoy your holidays without the regret.

So, let's enjoy our holidays to the fullest, without guilt and sadness. Even if w...

Are we inadvertently fostering eating disorders in teenagers striving for a healthy weight?  
I present here a study that followed 97 teenagers aged 14-18 over a year, looking at the impact of a program on their insulin resistance, liver fat percentage, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and eating behaviors. 

A comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to teen weight loss—one that promotes overall healthy habits and ...

Looking to understand more the reality behind your child's fast food habits and its impact on their health?  I dive into a research study by Dr. Bowman, assessing the effects of fast food consumption on the energy intake and diet quality among thousands of children.  We'll explore how this fast food frenzy has taken a toll on our children's health, increasing not only their caloric intake but also sabotaging their di...