 As a rule obesity treatment programs for teenagers don’t have weight loss as a goal. Their aim is to slow down weight gain so the teen or child will grow into his or her body weight over a period of months or years.
Early and corresponding interference is very important. It is evident that childhood eating and exercise habits are more easily modified than adult habits. There are three methods of interference:
1. Physical Activity
Physical activity is very important for fat burning. Exercises increase energy expenditure and maintain weight loss. It has been proved that exercise isn’t a successful strategy for weight loss unless combined with another intervention like nutrition education and behavioral changes. Nevertheless, exercise has additional health benefits like blood pressure improving, etc.
2. Diet Management
Fasting or severe caloric restriction is not reasonable for children and teens. Firstly, this is psychologically stressful. Secondly, it may seriously affect growth and the child's perception of “normal” eating. The most appropriate diet is the balanced diet with moderate caloric restriction, especially reduced dietary fat. Nutrition education may be necessary. The most effective treatment for teen obesity is a diet management combined with exercise.
3. Behavioral Change
There are many behavioral strategies that may be used successfully towards teens. They are self-monitoring, recording food intake, physical activity, limiting the time and place of eating, slowing the speed of eating, and using rewards and incentives for desired behaviors. Behaviorally based treatments that include parents are particularly effective.
Some scientists as Meyers, Graves, and Clark used problem-solving exercises in a parent-child behavioral program and discovered children in the problem-solving group, but not those in the behavioral treatment-only group, essentially reduced percent overweight and maintained reduced weight for six months. Problem-solving training involved identifying possible weight-control problems and, as a group, discussing solutions.
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