Teen Talks on Nutrition and Healthy Eating this October and November

by Judy Silberstein and Dr. Ann Engelland

(October 8, 2002) Teens care about what they eat; parents care about what teens eat and so do Dr. Ann Engelland and registered dietician Diane Nelson who will be leading seminars on teen nutrition this fall. Local teenagers are invited to participate in the one-hour seminars on teen nutrition that will take place in Dr. Engelland’s newly renovated office across from Mamaroneck High School.

The general target group is boys and girls ages 10 to 14. “This is when we need to start talking about the important issues,” said Nelson, who teaches Home and Career Skills at Hommocks and at Mamaroneck High School. Engelland, who specializes in Adolescent Medicine, will be partnering with Nelson as they provide information and encourage participants to think about healthy eating.

Dr. Engelland provided the following details:

Kids can sign up for any or all of the sessions. The cost will be $15 per session. Each session will consist of a combination of didactic information, personal assessment and brainstorming. Kids will receive handouts and practical information they can take home.

Each session will cover a distinct topic and be geared to a different group of kids. A description of the seminars follows:

1. General Information on Nutrition

Who: Boys or girls 10-14 who want to be informed, stay healthy, get fit.

Some Issues we will cover:
1. What is healthy eating?
2. What is a calorie?
3. How do I read labels correctly?
4. What about calcium?
5. What if I want to be a vegetarian?

When: October 10th at 7pm

2. Nutrition for Girls

Who: Girls age 10-14, especially those who think they’re overweight

Some Issues we will cover:
1. Am I overweight?
2. What can I do about it?
3. How much should I weigh?
4. What are some tips for healthy eating?

When: October 17th at 7pm.

3. Nutrition for Athletes

Who: Boys and girls ages 10-14, involved in sports.

Some Issues we will cover:
1. Does my diet stack up?
2. Do athletes have special nutritional needs?
3. What about protein powder supplements?
4. What do we know about Creatine?
5. What is carb loading?
6. What about “making weight”?
7. Am I getting enough energy to compete and strengthen?

When: November 7th at 7pm.

4. Vegetarian Diets

Who: Boys and girls ages 10-14 who are interested in finding out about veggie diets or who want to improve their own vegetarian diet.

Some Issues we will cover:
1. What is a vegetarian?
2. What’s a vegan?
3. Is being a vegetarian really healthy for me?
4. Do I need supplements?
5. What are some ethnic vegetarian foods to explore?

When: November 14th at 7pm.

5. Anorexia or Bulimia and other issues

Who: Boys and girls ages 10-14 who may be dieting in an unhealthy way; who may have an eating disorder or who have a friend they are concerned about.

Some Issues we will cover:
1. Can a person really be too thin?
2. How can I lose weight and look good but not be unhealthy?
3. Why do we need fat in our diet?
4. What is fat phobia?

When: November 21st at 7pm.

All seminars will be held at 7 pm at Dr. Engelland’s office at 921 West Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck across from Mamaroneck High School. Places are limited so please call ahead to reserve your spot: (914) 698-5544.

Send this page to a friend

Discuss this topic in our forums, or send a letter to the editors.