Teen weight loss programme shows promise
A teen weight loss programme, which consisted of seven group sessions discussing what constitutes a healthy diet, shows promise for the future.Reuters Health reports that 151 teenagers took part in the 24-month programme conducted by the University of Sydney.
It consisted of weekly group sessions discussing healthy eating, promoting increased physical activity and decreasing the amount of time spent in front of the TV.
Parents of the 13 to 16-year-olds involved were also invited to group sessions to teach them about making lifestyle modifications to help their children lose weight.
The participants also exercised and prepared and tasted healthy food during the sessions.
At the 12-month mark, 40 per cent of the teens had reduced their body mass by at least five per cent, while a quarter had reduced their weight by over ten per cent.
Therefore, this scheme shows promise in helping young people lose weight in a less intensive way than some other programmes.
A recent study by scientists at Georgia Health Sciences University, which studied 559 people aged between 14 and 18, found that those with a fructose-rich diet were more likely to have high blood pressure than those who consumed less of the sweetener.
