"I'm, Like, SO Fat!": Helping Your Teen Make Healthy Choices about Eating and Exercise in a Weight-Obsessed World

by Dianne Neumark-Sztainer

It’s hard to decide which is more frightening--the “food” teenagers enjoy, or the things they say about their bodies. Whether it’s your son’s passion for chips and soda or your daughter’s announcement that she “feels fat,” kids’ attitude about how they look and what they should eat often seem devoid of common sense. In a world where television and school cafeterias push super-sized sandwiches while magazines feature pencil-thin models, many teens feel pressured to starve themselves and others eat way too much. Blending her experience as the mother of four with results from a survey of nearly 5,000 teens, Dr. Diane Neumark-Sztainer shows you how to respond constructively to “fat talk,” counteract negative media messages, and give your kids the straight story about nutrition and calories, the dangers of dieting, and eating right when they’re away from home. Full of examples illustrating the challenges teens face today, this upbeat and insightful book is packed with great ideas that will help kids everywhere feel better about their looks and make healthier choices about eating and exercise.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

316 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 2005

Reviews

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this book is aimed at teenagers, I picked it up from the library because my daughter on two separate occasions in the past month has told me she is fat. She is only 7 and 55 pounds - there is not an ounce of fat on the child! I am navigating these choppy waters a lot sooner than anticipated but I want to do the best I can with this touchy subject. Fortunately, we are already doing many things that should help her -we eat fairly healthy but have treats in the house to enjoy, we eat together as a family often, and are pretty active. I try to compliment her on things other than her size and when she told me she was fat I told her she had a strong, healthy body. I will watch her closely because she has somehow picked up the thin message our society is promoting (I have too so I try to be so careful) and make sure her self-esteem stays intact so that she can enjoy her life and appreciate all her wonderful skills and talents!

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great book! Dr. Neumark-Sztainer shares her years-long studies regarding nutrition and youth with wit and wisdom. So many great insights into the world of nutrition and how to talk to your children, especially teens, about proper nutrition.