Total Teen Health and Wellness: A Doctor's Guide for Parents

24. Anti-Diet: How Parents Can Teach Their Chidren Balance with Food and Exercise

Shanna Garza, MD Episode 24

Parents are the ultimate teachers for their kids and can be role models by showing balance with food, body and exercise. Following up Episode #23 on Why Diets are Not Good for Teens, this episode reviews how parents can help their teen and young adult children see food, nutriton and exercise in a more balanced way. Dr. Shanna Garza, Adolescent Medicine physician and expert, provides parents pearls to guide these discussions and cautions on talking about diet, weight loss and body image with their children.


Here are few books to guide healthy discussions around these issues:

The Intuitive Eating Workbook for Teens: A Non-Diet, Body Positive Approach to Building a Healthy Relationship with Food

by Elyse Resch


Health At Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight

by Linda Bacon


Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating

by Christy Harrison MPH RD