In college or high school, it almost became a ritual. At the end of the lessons or the weekend, adolescents find themselves with friends around a menu … very fat: burger, kebab, pizza, tacos … all washed down with soda and often engulfed in a hurry. Result: some parents are worried about seeing their child regularly turn to junk food. Is it serious? And above all, how can we talk about it without robbing? Because the objective is not to ban, but to support.
At the frequency … to be monitored
No worries if these differences remain occasional. “”A fast-food outing per week is not problematic in itself “reassures the Dre Catherine Salinier, pediatrician in Gradignan (Gironde). “”What matters is the regularity and the overall balance of its diet “. In other words, it does not matter if on Friday evening, he eats a burger, provided that the other meals are varied and balanced.
The real danger is rehearsal. Some teens eat fast food several times a week, sometimes every lunchtime. There, the risks settled: excess of fat, salt, sugars, and fiber deficiencies, vitamins or minerals. Not to mention the weight gain or the link between junk food and altered cognitive performance.
Do not ban, but discuss
In adolescence, the relationship to food is part of a quest for autonomy. They test, explore, assert themselves. “”Eating with their friends is also a way of building yourself socially, outside the family setting “explains the dre salinier. In this context, rigid prohibitions are counterproductive. “”If we just tell them “you don’t have the right”, we risk an opposition reaction “. It is better to explain them calmly the consequences of an unbalanced diet: fatigue, lack of concentration, fall in shape, dull skin, soft hair … arguments often more effective than guilty speeches. And above all, do not dramatize: “You have to trust them, remind them that this type of meal is ok from time to time, but that their bodies also need good fuels “.
At home, we put the balance
Rather than trying to control everything, it is better to focus on what you can control: meals taken at home. In particular breakfast, often the only one where the teenager is still present. “”A full breakfast with a fruit, a dairy product and not very sweet cereals, it’s already a good starting point “underlines the pediatrician. This avoids morning cravings that lead straight to distributors or industrial snacks. In the evening, we make sure that the meal is nourishing and appetizing. No sad steam beans on the plate: the vegetables pass better in puree, gratin, roasted with spices, or slipped into a dish they love (quiche, curry, homemade lasagna …). Another tip: make the right options visible and accessible. “”If we fill the cookies with cookies and sodas, you should not be surprised “notes the pediatrician. “”Conversely, always have seasonal fruit at hand, dried fruit or nuts, it helps “.
When to worry?
The attraction for fast foods is not always just a desire to feast on. “”If this is accompanied by other signs, such as a withdrawal, significant weight gain, loss of motivation or academic difficulties, you have to ask questions “warns the dre salinier. In this case, to open dialogue, without judgment. A simple: “I feel like you’re not on top right now, you want to talk about it? “ can start a conversation. Because even if they move away, adolescents need benchmarks … and their parents: they pretend not to listen, but what you tell them. Recall without moralizing, propose without imposing, and above all staying attentive, these are the keys so that fast foods do not become a habit … but just a pleasure from time to time. And if necessary, the attending physician can be a good relay. “”He can check his health, but also help identify a deeper discomfort “.