Lifestyle and Weight Loss For Teens

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...

Imagine the profound impact if we could disentangle body satisfaction and self-esteem among our teenagers?  Dr Gourgari presents research that was done to explore the crucial link between body image and self-esteem amongst our youth.  "Body Image and Self-Esteem Among Adolescent Girls: Testing the Influence of Sociocultural Factors. Daniel Clay et al " I’m Dr. Jenny Gourgari—pediatric en...

Ever wondered how overall movement, screen time, and sleep contribute to a teenager's overall health? We go over into the 24-hour movement recommendations for kids, drawn from a great study in the Journal of Pediatric Obesity. This episode takes you through the science of these recommendations and sheds light on their relationship with unhealthy weight indicators in young ones. The title of t...

What if the very diets teenagers follow to lose weight are the culprits behind weight gain and unhealthy eating habits? We're shaking things up with an in-depth exploration of a groundbreaking study that turns conventional dieting wisdom on its head.  But it's not just about exposing the dark side of teenage dieting. So forget the dieting myths you've heard - we're starting a n...

Do you ever wonder if your child's weight could be impacting their mental health? Dr Gourgari presents a fascinating study from Sweden detailing how excess weight can potentially lead to mental health issues in youngsters.    Why does this happen?    If we know why, we can potentially address these underlying factors and help children be in a better mental state.    The title of the research...

It can be difficult for families to go  in person to multiple appointments to address the weight concerns they have for their children. Especially after the COVID pandemic, more people started developing online programs for weight management for both adults and children. The question is : Do these virtual telehealth programs work? Are they at least equally effective as the in person visits ? Here...

Parents often express concerns about their children's extra weight and may even dismiss it, believing that it's a phase they will eventually outgrow. But what does the science say about this issue? In this podcast episode, we'll dive into the insights from a fascinating scientific study . This study followed thousands of children from their early years into adulthood to investigate...

Many of us associate summer with outdoor activities and healthier living, but research suggests that this isn't always the case. In this podcast,  we will explore more the reasons behind summer weight gain in teens, its impact on their health, and practical strategies for parents to help their children maintain a healthy lifestyle year-round. This is a review study  that I present here  &quot...

Want to learn more about how to control the  cravings during teen years? Here is a tip: Sleep better! I present the research below: " Associations of Sleep with Food Cravings, Diet, and Obesity in Adolescence  Nutrients 2019, 11, 2899; doi:10.3390/nu11122899" Hope you find this helpful! I’m Dr. Jenny Gourgari—pediatric endocrinologist, certified in obesity medicine and a health coach.  A...

White or brown rice?  White or brown pasta? Whole wheat or white bread?  Whole grain versus refined grain can be another small change you can implement to improve your child's insulin sensitivity and risk for diabetes.  A great study was done in children that measured that effect in the lab.  The details of this study are : Whole Grain Intake Is Associated with Lower Body Mass and Greater Ins...

A lot of teens and children suffer from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ie ADHD. It is estimated that around 10% of children have ADHD. Some of them take medications for it, others dont.  In this episode, I present a research study that investigated the risk  to be overweight in children and adolescents in relation to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and medication use for ADHD. T...

Teenagers spend a significant amount of time on social media, mostly on their phones, scrolling through their newsfeeds on platforms such as Facebook, Tik-Tok, IG.    How does social media use can affect risk for overweight?     I present here this research:  Time spent on social media use and BMI z-score: A cross-sectional explanatory pathway analysis of 10798 14-year-old boys and girls Campbell...

There are three popular dietary styles used in teens who struggle to lose weight: Low carbohydrate dietary plan Low glycemic index dietary plan Portion control dietary plan Which one is more effective in achieving a healthy weight in teens? Here I present data from this research that answered this question:  Kirk S, Brehm B, Saelens BE, Woo JG, Kissel E, D'Alessio D, Bolling C, Daniels SR.  R...

American academy of Pediatrics recommends that teenagers sleep at least 8-10 hours every night.  However,  according to data from CDC, more than 2 out of 3 students in middle schools and high schools do not get the recommended amount of sleep.  What is the effect of chronic sleep restriction on what these students choose to eat? Listen to learn more Here I present research that was done to answer...

Caffeine consumption is common among teenagers.  A lot of people think caffeine is just in coffee or tea. However, the most common source of caffeine intake in teens is soda ! Why teens crave caffeine?  What is considered high and what is low caffeine intake consumption? What is the effect of caffeine in teens appetite for high sugar / low fat foods? Listen to learn more ! The manuscript I present...

Use of non-caloric sweeteners, like stevia, aspartame, sucralose and others has increased significantly in the recent years. These products are very attractive because they dont have any calories, they dont have any sugar, so people like to consume them believing they can eat more of their favorite drinks and lose weight. Is this really the case? We dont have all the answers we would like to have...

Teasing teens about their weight is very common. People that are actually friends and family can tease teens for their weight because they find it funny, or innocent, or they are just so used to it,  they dont even think about it twice. But.. is weight teasing really innocent? In this episode I describe research that looked at the association of weight teasing with emotional well-being of teens. H...

Sometimes I hear parents and teens having concerns around the effect of exercise on academic performance. It is a valid concern, because what if devoting time for exercise -instead of spending it to do homework -will have an adverse effect of school grades? Research has been done to investigate whether there is an association between physical activity and grades at schools.  The research I discuss...

Intensive exercise can help improve insulin sensitivity, but often teens do not have enough time to devote to organized types of exercise. Can multiple 3 minutes walk help with insulin sensitivity?   I discussed a research project that examined this exact question, hope you find it helpful. Diabetes Care. 2018 Oct; 41(10): 2220–2228. Effects of Interrupting Sedentary Behavior With Short Bouts of M...

A common fear I hear a lot from parents who have teens who struggle with their weight is that they are scared their teens might develop body image issues after enrolling in a program that helps them change their habits.  In this episode, I present a research study that examined whether an online based program for teens can work. In particular, in this study, researchers looked not only at the effe...

In this episode, I describe research that examined whether using larger dishware affects how much food children are eating. This was published in the journal of Pediatrics 2013;131;e1451 by Yasmeen Bruton and Jennifer O. Fisher Katherine I. DiSantis, Leann L. Birch, Adam Davey, Elena L. Serrano, Jun Zhang, "Portions and Intake Plate Size and Children's Appetite: Effects of Larger Dishwar...

In this episode, I talk about this scientific article : Sugar-added beverages and adolescent weight change.  Obes Res. 2004 May;12(5):778-88. doi: 10.1038/oby.2004.94. PMID: 15166298. Use this to start a discussion with your teen about sodas. Hope you find it helpful.  I’m Dr. Jenny Gourgari—pediatric endocrinologist, certified in obesity medicine and a health coach.  After helping hundreds of tee...

In this episode, I talk about research that examined the importance of having parents eating family dinners with their kids. I discuss this article:   Is frequency of shared family meals related to the nutritional health of children and adolescents?  Pediatrics. 2011 Jun;127(6):e1565-74. doi: 10.1542/peds.2010-1440. Epub 2011 May 2. PMID: 21536618; PMCID: PMC3387875. Use this as a starting point t...

If your family tends to overeat during the Holidays and then end up feeling sorry for your choices, then this episode is for you. This Special podcast episode will give you 7 tips on how to stay healthy during Holidays. Happy Holidays! I’m Dr. Jenny Gourgari—pediatric endocrinologist, certified in obesity medicine and a health coach.  After helping hundreds of teens struggling with their weight an...

In this episode, I talk about this research article:  Relationship of Physical Activity and Television Watching With Body Weight and Level of Fatness Among Children: Results From the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. JAMA. 1998;279(12):938–942. doi:10.1001/jama.279.12.938 You can discuss this with your teen and get the conversation going . Hope you find it helpful. I’m Dr. Je...