Do you burn more calories during puberty?
A recent study in the International Journal of Obesity has found that the BMR of the average 15-year-old is 25% lower than it was when they were ten years of age. BMR (or basal metabolic rate) is the number of calories your body needs just to function. This means the amount of energy needed to keep breathing, blood pumping around your body and other vital functions.
Previously, it was thought that since puberty was a time of rapid growth and hormonal changes that would result in an increase in BMR but this twelve-year study has found the opposite to be the case. The fact that many teenagers tend to become more sedentary; losing interest in organised sports was generally accepted as the reason for weight gain during puberty. Girls especially, will be around a third less active in their teens than they were aged seven.
The research by Professor Terence Wilkin of the University of Exeter Medical School, found that 15-year olds used between 400 and 500 fewer calories when they were at rest. This is the equivalent of eating a McDonald’s Big Mac and would take around 1 hour of Zumba or 2 hours of cleaning the house to burn off.
Of course puberty results in many bodily changes with growth spurts beginning at age nine in girls and age eleven in boys. Girls gain a layer of fat all over the body which then develops more around the breasts, hips and thighs. In fact, it has been said that girls not gaining weight during puberty is less healthy than gaining weight (Children’s Youth and Women’s Health Service). Girls are expected to lose around 5% of lean body mass and gain fat whilst boys are expected to gain around 10% of lean body mass (Keck School of Medicine). Often the increase in weight and the growth spurts can balance out.
The best way to support your teenager in making healthy choices is to lead by example. Your lifestyle is the greatest influence on even your teenager’s eating and activity habits. If you play sports, ride a bike or spend time walking your child is more likely to lead an active lifestyle. However, if you sit in front of a television or games console eating junk food then so will your teenager.
If you see your daughter gaining a significant amount of weight, try to make subtle changes to her diet and activity levels. Don’t suggest dieting. Since puberty is also when your daughter is likely to become more sensitive about her body it is important that weight does not become a subject which puts additional pressure on them. Remember, most eating disorders are developed during puberty. Menstruation can be associated with food cravings so try to take her mind off these by finding fun activities to do. The general rule is that if you can avoid giving to the craving for 20 minutes it will pass.
The reassuring discovery made by Professor Wilkins was that although BMR dropped during early teens, it did begin to climb again by the age of 16. He speculates that this might be an evolutionary throwback to when food was more scarce and there was a need to conserve energy for the growth spurts during puberty. However, now that food is abundant, this could lead to teenage obesity and type 2 diabetes; conditions which can extend well into adulthood.
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