Dangers of Dieting for Teens

Teens often turn to dieting when they want to fit with the “in” crowd, look like their favorite celebrity or role model, as well as to avoid the constant peer pressure and judgment from those they encounter in their everyday life. Sometimes when a teen diets, they are not properly informed about the importance of nutrition, exercise and a balanced meal. They are more likely to abuse dieting practices because of this ignorance. Teens often can be influenced to follow the wrong path towards losing weight.

There are many pitfalls that a teen may fall victim to when they are trying to diet. Unhealthy dieting practices can lead to serious behaviors that can become dangerously harmful to the individual’s health.

Teen Pitfalls When Dieting

1) Anorexia

The biggest of the dangers of dieting for teens is Anorexia Nervosa. Anorexia develops when a teen feels a strong fear of being or becoming fat. Teens who fall victim to anorexia appear to have an emaciated body weight. Sometimes, due to their age, the problem is not easily seen or recognized. About 50% of anorexia nervosa patients engage in self-induced vomiting and/or the abuse of laxatives. Warning signs to be aware of include loss of a significant amount of weight continuing to diet when thin; feeling fat even after losing weight; preoccupation with food, calories, fat content and nutrition; exercising compulsively; lying about food, as well as depression and anxiety.

2) Bulimia

Another of the dangers of dieting for teens is Bulimia. When a teen suffers from bulimia nervosa, they subject their body to cycles of binge-eating. They often experience and welcome this feeling of being out of control. After they binge-eat, they will turn to some form of purging to eliminate all that they have eaten from their system. This can be achieved through vomiting, abusing laxatives and/or abusing diuretics. Signs to be on the look out include eating uncontrollably; using the bathroom frequently after meals; preoccupation with body weight; depression, mood swings and swollen glands in neck and face

3) Binge-Eating

When a teen attempts to overdo a diet, there may come a period during this process where they “lose it.” Some quit dieting or begin to binge-eat from the feeling of starvation and cravings they may feel. After a teen binge-eats, they do not vomit, abuse laxatives and diuretics. They just give into a repeated cycle of compulsive overeating. Warning signs to check include eating when not physically hungry; feeling unable to stop eating voluntarily; weight fluctuations and feeling depressed.

4) Diet Pill Abuse

Another of the dangers of dieting for teens is diet pill abuse. Many teens try diet pills because they are always being advertised as an easy and quick way to lose weight or suppress the appetite.

Below you will find a few startling statistics regarding the views of today’s youth when it comes to dieting and body weight perception. Keep in mind that these statistics do not even include teens. They were compiled from a variety of surveys done on schoolchildren:

1) 42% of 1st-3rd grade girls want to be thinner.

2) 81% of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat.

3) 51% of 9 and 10 year-old girls feel better about themselves if they are on a diet.

4) 46% of 9-11 year-olds are "sometimes" or "very often" on diets.

Find out more about the dangers of dieting for teens