Youth health guidance

There is no unified standard answer to adolescent health. The core is to adapt to their growth and development rhythm, covering the three dimensions of physical, psychological, and social adaptation. All "standardized requirements" that are divorced from individual characteristics may have the opposite effect.

I met 14-year-old Xiaoyu when I was doing health education in the community two years ago. My mother was a typical "health-anxiety type". She couldn't help but let him drink two cups of protein powder every day. He had to run 3 kilometers around the community to do his homework after school. He also signed up for basketball and swimming classes on weekends. As a result, he fainted on the track after running 800 meters in the last sports mock test. After examination, I found out that it was excessive fatigue and overnutrition that caused high blood lipids, which actually affected his exercise status. Don't think this is an exception. In the past two years, I have met many parents who directly apply the adult fitness and health experience they read online to their children, which in the end is self-defeating.

Interestingly, there are currently two completely different mainstream views in the field of youth sports guidance. There is no absolute right or wrong, but only adaptability: Researchers in the sports medicine field even advocate "sufficient structured exercise", that is, referring to the requirements of the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)", a total of more than 1 hour of moderate to high-intensity exercise every day, and at least 3 strength exercises per week. The core is to promote the growth of bone density and prevent chronic diseases in adulthood.； However, scholars in the field of child development psychology generally do not agree with turning exercise into a hard KPI. Their tracking research shows that leaving more than 30 minutes a day for children to play freely - whether squatting downstairs digging ant holes or chasing and chasing classmates, has a far greater impact on psychological adjustment and social ability development than a fully scheduled interest class. I have met several children who have signed up for three or four sports classes. When it comes to "exercise", their first reaction is "they have to complete the task again." Instead, they hide at home on weekends and refuse to go out. It is better for children who have not signed up to play for half an hour on the way to school every day.

Speaking of this, some people may ask, then if I don’t force my children to exercise, it’s okay to keep an eye on their food, right? It's really not the case. The problem of eating is actually more hidden. I met a parent last week who asked me why my child still has high uric acid even though he eats nutritious meals at home every day. After asking, I found out that the child goes to the canteen every day to buy two bottles of ice carbonated drinks during class, and also buys grilled sausages and fried skewers after school. These "hidden intakes" that are invisible to parents are the core of the problem. When it comes to dietary guidance, experts in different fields also have different tendencies: Most doctors in clinical nutrition departments will require strict control of free sugar intake, with a maximum of 25 grams per day, which is almost the amount of half a bottle of Coke. It is best to completely give up processed snacks. ； However, researchers in the field of public health feel that there is no need to talk about sugar discoloration. A complete ban will easily make children feel "food deprived". I have met a 12-year-old boy before who was never allowed to touch any snacks at home. As a result, he went to a classmate's house for his birthday and ate 8 pieces of chocolate, which directly caused acute gastroenteritis. It is better to let the child eat something he likes occasionally, which can build a healthier food awareness.

Many people think that health means eating well and moving well. In fact, more than 60% of teenagers suffer from physical discomfort, and the root cause is psychological. Last year, when I was cooperating with the school for a psychological screening, I met Lin Lin, a sophomore in high school. During that time, she always complained of headaches and couldn't sleep, and her grades dropped by more than 20 places. Her parents initially scolded her for "pretending to be sick and being lazy," but it wasn't until she took the test that she found she was suffering from moderate anxiety. On this issue, there are also differences of opinion in different fields: many teachers in basic education think that "children today are too spoiled and would be better if they suffered more setbacks" and advocate the implementation of frustration education. ； However, adolescent psychiatrists have clearly pointed out that the prefrontal cortex of adolescents will not be fully developed until around the age of 25, and their ability to regulate emotions is inherently weaker than that of adults. Excessive pressure will not only not improve resistance to frustration, but may lead to long-term emotional disorders and even affect brain development.

I have been working as a youth health coach for almost 6 years. The most common thing I tell parents is, don’t use adult health standards to regulate your children. If you, an adult, stay up until 12 o'clock and drink a cup of coffee the next day, you can overcome it. But if teenagers have not entered deep sleep by 10:30, it will affect the secretion of growth hormone. ； You adults can lose weight by controlling sugar and carbon, but if your children follow you and eat fat-reducing meals, it will affect their height development. To put it bluntly, the health of teenagers is like planting a fruit tree that has just sprouted. You can't over-fertilize it every day and force it to grow in the direction you want. You can't completely ignore it and let the insects gnaw and weeds entangle it. Squatting down more often to see what it needs is much more useful than working blindly according to textbooks.

In fact, there is no "health guidance manual" that is universally applicable. Each child's physique, personality, and growth environment are different. More observation and less anxiety, more communication and less demands are the most practical guidance.