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 new conversation about achieving a healthier lifestyle. Dr Gourgari is a pediatric endocrinologist, certified in...

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 that is presented is "Anxiety and depression in children and adolescents with obesity: a nationwide...

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 is one study that tried to answer this question: The study I present is called " Comparison...

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 the long-term consequences of childhood weight and whether kids truly "outgrow" extra weight. Here is the...

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  "The State of the Summer, A Review of Child Summer Weight Gain and Efforts to Prevent It," published in...

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! Dr Gourgari is a pediatric endocrinologist, certified in obesity medicine expert and weight loss coach for teens with more than 15 years of experience. She helps teens build healthy habits that last, so...

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 Insulin Sensitivity among Adolescents  Lyn M. Steffen1, David R. Jacobs, Jr.1, Maureen A. Murtaugh1,...

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. The details of this study are :  Overweight in Children and Adolescents in Relation to...

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 Foubister, Russell Jago, Stephen J. Sharp, Esther M. F. van Sluijs   Hope you enjoy this...

There are three popular dietary styles used in teens who struggle to lose weight: Low carbohydrate dietary planLow glycemic index dietary planPortion control dietary planWhich 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.  Role of carbohydrate modification in weight management among obese children: a randomized clinical...

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 this question. The manuscript i present is :  Beebe DW, Simon S, Summer S, Hemmer S, Strotman...

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 is :  Temple JL, Dewey AM, Briatico LN.  Effects of acute caffeine administration on...

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 on this topic, but the American Academy of Pediatrics has published a policy statement on the...

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. Here is the actual manuscript I present: Eisenberg ME, Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M....

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 in this episode is the following, hope you find it helpful. Coe DP, Pivarnik JM, Womack CJ,...

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 Moderate Physical Activity on Glucose Tolerance in Children With Overweight and Obesity: A...

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 effect of the program on weight loss, but also the effect it had on eating disorder...

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 Dishware on Self-Served" Dr Gourgari is a pediatric endocrinologist, certified in obesity medicine expert and...

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.  Dr Gourgari is a pediatric endocrinologist, certified in obesity medicine expert and weight loss coach for teens with more than 15 years of experience. She helps teens build healthy habits that last, so they can feel...

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 to evaluate your family's dinner habits. Hope it is helpful. Dr Gourgari is a pediatric...

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! Dr Gourgari is a pediatric endocrinologist, certified in obesity medicine expert and weight loss coach for teens with more than 15 years of experience. She helps teens build healthy habits that last, so they can feel happier, be more confident and love their...

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

In this episode, I discuss research that was published in the following scientific journal:  Is Sleep Duration Associated With Childhood Obesity? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysisObesity (2008) 16, 265–274. doi:10.1038/oby.2007.63 I encourage you to have a discussion with your teen about this.I hope it will help them understand the importance of good sleep.  Dr Gourgari is a pediatric endocrinologist, certified in obesity medicine expert and weight loss coach for teens with more than 15...

Is the type of snack important for healthy eating?  I present a research study that  was published in the Obesity Journal in 2022   "Association of weight status with the types of foods consumed at snacking occasions among US adolescents" If you are looking for healthy snack ideas for teens, grab my free guide at LIFESTYLEFORTEENS.COM/SNACKS  Enjoy Dr G.  Dr Gourgari is a pediatric endocrinologist, certified in obesity medicine expert and weight loss coach for teens with more than 15 years...

A constant debate... should I follow a low carb plan or a low fat plan? I present one research article that examined this topic on teenagers. We dont have enough studies available, but this was a good one. "Acta Pædiatrica ISSN 0803–5253 Low-carbohydrate (low & high-fat) versus high-carbohydrate low-fat diets in the treatment of obesity in adolescents" Hope you enjoy this episode. If you are interested in free recipes for teens, grab a copy here Lifestyleforteens.com/recipes  If you...