For adolescents, binge eating often follows weight loss

Youngsters who diet may end up weighing even more than they did before.

That's the conclusion of a Harvard study published in the journal Pediatrics, which found a "boomerang" effect for teens who frequently diet.

"Most people who diet tend to regain the weight. In children, we're really seeing that this is happening at a young age," study co-author Alison Field, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School in Boston, told HealthDay.

The reason for the additional weight gain may stem from the restrictive nature of dieting, the authors suggested. Teenagers may greatly limit what they eat, but that can't last forever. And when teens give up their restrictive food plans, they may binge and allow themselves to eat everything they had denied themselves during the diet.

The key factors to attaining a healthy body for teenagers are the same as they are for adults: Eating a healthy diet and exercising.

The concern over childhood obesity and possible health consequences is growing as quickly as youngsters' waistlines. The number of overweight adolescents is up by 100 percent since the 1980s, according to government statistics. Currently, almost 14 million children are obese -- that's about one-quarter of the U.S. population between the ages of 2 and 17.

Yo-yo dieting -- where dieters lose weight, gain it back, lose it again, etc. -- is a common problem for adults, but with the rise in childhood overweight and obesity, it's becoming more of a concern in youngsters as well. The biggest problem with this type of dieting is that people often end up weighing even more than they did when they started dieting.

Field and her colleagues examined the eating habits of almost 15,000 children between the ages of 9 and 14. The researchers followed the youngsters for three years.

At the start of the study, one-quarter of the girls and almost 14 percent of the boys reported dieting often. At the end of the study, the researchers found that those who dieted put on about two extra pounds each year.

Whether the dieting was affecting the teens' metabolism or causing them to eat too much when they abandoned their restrictive eating plans, experts agree that dieting clearly isn't the answer.

"Get away from the mentality of a diet. Try to put the focus on healthy eating and lifestyle changes," Bettye Nowlin, a registered dietitian from Calabasas, Calif., told HealthDay.

The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends physical activity as the first part of any weight control program and suggests aiming for at least 30 minutes daily on most days of the week.

The academy also recommends a change in eating habits. Start with a healthy breakfast each morning, and make lunch the biggest meal, the group recommends. Watch portion sizes and, the academy suggests, add vegetables and whole grains to your diet.