If you are 14 years old that weighs 70 kg, you’re probably asking yourself if you’re overweight. It’s not an easy question to answer because it depends on so many factors, like height, gender, and muscle mass. One way to know if your overweight is to check your body mass index or BMI.
So is 70 kg overweight for a 14 year old? Check Your BMI!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines a healthy weight as having a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9 for adults however for children it is a bit different. According to the CDC Child and Teen BMI (aged from 2-19), children less than the 5th percentile are considered underweight. 5th percentile to less than the 85th percentile is considered healthy weight for a child. 85th to less than the 95th percentile is considered overweight and equal to or greater than the 95th percentile is considered obese.
To see which percentile range your 14 year old lies in and what his or her BMI is, visit this BMI calculator here . This number considers your child’s height and weight and, according to CDC, it is age and sex specific. For example, if your child is a 14 year old boy that weighs 70 kg and is 185 cm tall, he isn’t overweight! In fact, he is in the healthy weight category.
Limitations of BMI
BMI is a useful tool to help you determine if your weight is in line with others of your height. However, because BMI considers your height and weight and does not actually measure body fat percentage, it may not always be accurate. For example, an extremely muscular person may be considered obese by their BMI but still have low levels of body fat. To put it simply, the BMI can’t differentiate between body fat and lean body mass.
Due to this, a 14 year old that weighs 70 kg may be classified as overweight according to the BMI, however could actually be healthy. There are other ways to see if your overweight or not like waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio.
What are the risks of being overweight or obese?
Being overweight can lead to a lot of health problems even for a 14 year old teenager. If you’re overweight, you may experience higher chances of joint problems or arthritis as an adult. According to NDTV, childhood obesity can cause other various health problems such as asthma, sleeping disorders and even heart diseases. Not only physical, but teens that are overweight face many mental issues like depression and tend to have a low self-esteem.
So, your BMI says you’re overweight for a 14 year old that weighs 70 kg. What do you do?
what should I do if I am a 14 year old 70 kg and overweight?
Since you are at an age where your body is beginning to change, it’s important to be conscious of these changes. If you feel like you’re too heavy, try to keep track of your eating habits and physical activity levels. Once you notice a trend in your weight gain or loss, then you can start making changes based on that information. Even little adjustments in your diet can make big differences in how healthy (or unhealthy) you are. So don’t hesitate to talk with your doctor about ways to make positive changes at any age. No matter what point it is in life—at 8 or 80—making positive health choices is critical for leading as healthy and active of a life as possible.
Diet Tips For a 14 Year Old Teenager
Getting kids to lose weight is hard; getting them to lose it in a healthy way is even harder. But it can be done with some work, and here are some tips on how to help kids lose weight and keep it off over time. First things first: Don’t try to cut their food intake entirely. Instead, focus on improving quality rather than quantity of their calories. Make sure they eat enough protein, carbohydrates, and fats at each meal. This will help them maintain an appropriate calorie level but ensure that they’re still eating nutrient-rich foods.
Start including at least 2 servings of fruits per day. Include whole grain foods like whole grain bread or brown rice in their diet which has a lot of complex carbohydrates. Ultimately, improve the quality of food that you are giving to your 14 year old.
If you want them to go on a diet, I would suggest talking to a health or diet professional for further advice.
Did you know how effective just a 2 mile walk is for both our physical and mental health. In fact, it is one of the best ways to burn calories and lose weight. Click here to find out the 6 key benefits of walking 2 miles a day. It might just be the start your looking for!
Tips for parents
If you have a reason to believe your teen might be overweight, get expert advise from a health professional before proceeding forward with any sort of diets or exercise routines. There are many ways to encourage your teen to engage in physical activity. Sometimes its as simple as enrolling them into their favorite sport. Try to also influence heathy eating habits.
Most importantly support your child throughout this time. Teens that are overweight or obese tend to have a low self-esteem and feel slightly depressed. It is a parents job to talk to them about what they are feeling and find ways to solve their problems.
Good Luck!
