Promoting Healthy Eating Habits and Patterns for Teens

Katlyn Garr, PhD; Laura Caccavale, PhD; Carolyn Bates, PhD; Lindsay Stager, MA; Biswadeep Dhar, PhD, MEd, MS - Child & Family Health SIG

Adolescence is a time of increased independence, peer influence, and high demands like balancing schoolwork with extracurricular activities. These factors can make it challenging for teens to get the nutrition they need to help them function at their best. It can be difficult to know how to support your teen with healthy eating and encourage autonomy at the same time.

‘Eating patterns’ refers to the number of meals and snacks you eat per day. When you eat is just as important as what you eat. It is recommended that teens eat 3 meals and 1-2 snacks per day. However, few teens meet this recommendation.

Here are some things to keep in mind about the importance of regular eating patterns and ways to support your teen with healthy eating patterns.

How to Support Eating Patterns and Other Healthy Eating Habits for Teens

Parents play an important role in their child’s eating patterns and food choices. As your teen gets older and their independence increases, consider ways you can support them with eating regular meals while also encouraging their autonomy.

Avoid Skipping Meals

Meal skipping is common among teens with some studies showing as many as 3 out of 4 high school students in the United States regularly skip breakfast. Skipping meals is concerning for teens because it can contribute to lower energy levels, affect energy balance and metabolism, worsen attention and concentration, and even predict poor academic performance. Meal skipping over a longer period of time has also been linked to a number of poor health outcomes (e.g., increased risk for chronic disease such as overweight/obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and gastrointestinal cancers).

Common causes for meal skipping include:

• Busy schedules
• Late or changing wake-up times
• Weight control practices (e.g., dieting, restriction)
• Dietary preferences
• Food insecurity
• Religious practices (e.g., fasting)

Be consistent! Help your teen develop a schedule and stick to it - even on the weekends, holidays, and vacations.

Offer Regular Meals & Snacks

While skipping a meal or snack is normal from time to time, eating regular meals and snacks can have several physical and emotional benefits.

• Improves attention and concentration which are essential for learning. Can also help with planning and organizing which are critical skills for teens to develop as they work towards more independence.
• Helps regulate hunger and tune into our hunger and fullness cues. This reduces the risk of overeating and emotional eating (eating based on feelings like stress, boredom, sadness).
• Improves energy and mood. Eating regular meals can also improve sleep quality.
• Helps to maintain a healthy weight and reduces the risk of overweight and obesity.
• Having regular family meals can help keep meals on a schedule, increase diet quality, and improve mental health (e.g., anxiety, depression, self-esteem).

Prepare Meals Ahead of Time

Meal skipping tends to happen when teens are busy or on-the go. Encourage your teen to plan or prepare their meals ahead of time. For example, have your teen pack their lunch the night before school or work, so it’s ready to go the next day. Set them up for success by keeping healthy options in the home for them to choose from and by modeling these behaviors through your own choices.

Help your teen prepare meals and snacks that are balanced and full of nutrients. Including fiber and protein at each meal and snack will help your teen stay full and energized throughout the day.

Encourage your teen to carry healthy snacks with them in case of a hunger emergency! When we get too hungry (“hangry”), we tend to choose unhealthier foods.

Check-in!

Ask your teen how you can best support them with healthy and regular eating. Simple questions like, “What can I do to help you stay on track with your eating?” or “What healthy foods would you like for me to get at the grocery store this week?” can open the door to discussions about healthy eating. It’s critically important to keep these conversations supportive and non-judgmental.

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