The incidence of teen obesity in the country today has reached an alarming level. According to Center for Disease Control (CDC), the number of obese adolescent has quadrupled in the past 30 years. A 2012 statistics show that more than one third of children and teenagers were considered overweight or obese. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, meanwhile, estimated that the number of obese children and adolescent could reach up to 12.5 million.

These figures are expected to rise if government will not introduce new programs to address the problem. But the burden should not be given to the government alone. Parents and the society have very important roles in preventing more cases of teen obesity in the country. They must play active roles in making sure that these children adopt a healthy lifestyle and understand the risks of obesity.

It may appear to be a difficult endeavor at first, but acquiring and adapting to a healthy lifestyle is not difficult. You may only need to start tracking what and how much you consume to start taking care of your health. You can also engage in exercise to boost your body’s metabolism. However, instead of beginning with HIIT, begin with basic workouts like yoga. It may also interest you to know that yoga positions such as pranayama are thought to help you lose weight.

What are the Risks of Teen Obesity?

As a medical condition, obesity poses several health risks to the child or adolescent. Here are some of the immediate health risks when your teenager is overweight or obese:

• increased risks for cardiovascular diseases
• more prone to diabetes
• greater risks for bone and joint problems
• sleeping problems such as sleep apnea
• psychological problems
• depression
• anxiety
• poor self-esteem

Meanwhile, more serious problems can occur if the condition is not addressed immediately or if medical intervention is not provided. Some of the serious health risks include:

• heart disease
• stroke
• type 2 diabetes
• osteoarthritis
• several types of cancer

Prevention and Available Treatment

Teen obesity can be prevented or managed with proper approaches and mode of treatment. For some adolescent, changes in their eating behavior is already enough to control weight but for some, a more scientific approach is needed to manage or control their weight. This may include taking weight loss medications such as appetite suppressant drugs.

The most common approach to dealing with teen obesity is adopting a healthy lifestyle. This include eating healthy foods and engaging in physical activities. However, most teens encounter difficulty in following this approach because of family, society, school, and other environmental factors. They still end up being overweight or obese.

Phentermine: Better Option for Treating Teen Obesity

Opting for medical intervention is recommended by health care professionals if all the natural methods of treating obesity fail. The most common treatment is taking appetite suppressant drugs like Phentermine. This anti-obesity drug has been the choice of doctors because of its effectiveness and other health benefits. Here are some of them:

• non-surgical option in treating teen obesity
• prescribed for short-term treatment thus lowering the complications and other side effects
• safer drug as compared with other types of anti-obesity drugs
• doesn’t require strict dieting, which may affect the required nutritional intake of children and adolescents
• side effects are mild and transient
• overeating and binge eating is prevented because of the appetite suppressing characteristic of Phentermine
• optimum weight loss is achieved in a short period of time

Choosing the Right Weight Loss Treatment

Without proper treatment, teen obesity can become a lifelong medical condition. If you are one of the millions of teens in the country today who are considered overweight or obese, then it’s time for you to take action. Start living a healthy lifestyle now so you can avoid the serious health conditions that may be caused by obesity. Costly medical treatment, such as surgery, is also avoided. If you are a parent, please take an active role in helping your children change their eating habits, attitude, and the activities they are engaged in. But if all these fail, ask your doctor about weight loss drugs, particularly Phentermine.