Question

EJ is a 14-year-old male who currently resides at a behavioral health resident treatment facility. He has been diagnosed with obesity and hyperlipidemia, most likely due to side effects from the medications he is taking for bipolar disorder. The registered dietitian has been asked to speak with EJ about his new diet order for a low-fat diet and to provide suggestions to EJ’s family. EJ is expected to return home next month. His family has been participating in family counseling weekly with EJ while he has been at the facility. Currently EJ is 195 pounds and 70 inches tall. EJ’s mother reports that EJ typically eats at fast-food restaurants after school three or four days a week. His intake of fruits and vegetables has only been 1-2 daily while at the facility, and his mother indicates this is more than he eats at home. When EJ does drink milk, it’s usually whole milk. EJ’s family is very busy, and often EJ and his two older siblings prepare their own dinner.

Questions:

1. What is EJ’s BMI? How does this classify his weight at this time?

2. What guidelines do you need to keep in mind as you provide nutrition education and counseling to adolescents?

Answer 1

1) BMI is the Body Mass Index

• Metric BMI formula:weight(kg)/height in metre square
• Imperial BMI formula:weight(Ib)/ height square(inches square)*703

His BMI is 29.65 kg/metre square (Over weight)

The normal BMI for this age group is 16-22.6 metre square

The normal BMI weight for this height should be 105.2-148.6 Ibs, therefore he has to lose 46.4Ibs to come in normal ranges. This classifies that EJ is over weight at this age

2) Some of the guidelines need to be kept in mind when counselling an adolescents

• assessing first how much knowledge does the adolescents have
• Encouraging them to do decision making
• teaching him the importance of nutrition
• provide educational materials for healthy eating
• teaching adolescent skills to make dietary changes
• behavioural therapy
• one -on-one counselling
• Peer education