Tall Skinny Teens and Health

Teenagers need to recognize that during adolescence, the body changes at an uncontrollable pace that cannot be altered with wishes for its early or slower growth. Therefore, eating healthily and keeping their bodies fit so as to minimize health problems while continuing healthy development are both key components in maintaining proper growth.

Adolescence is a period of rapid physical, social and psychological development. Due to social influences like media images depicting attractive bodies or beauty standards that promote them as ideal bodies, adolescents’ perceptions of an ideal body can change rapidly; body image beliefs of teenage girls in particular may be particularly vulnerable to negative influences that have an adverse impact on both mental health and physical wellbeing.

Research suggests that adolescent thinness (BMI below the thinning line) is linked with negative health outcomes such as stunted growth, delayed maturation, malnutrition and reduced cognitive abilities [1]. Furthermore, being underweight increases your risk for osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, respiratory failure, infertility in women and preterm birth – among many others [2-3].

Under closer examination, interviews revealed that adolescent girls construct health through visually appealing bodies that appear “thin”, slim thick or “naturally fake”. Adolescent girls use social media platforms such as Instagram to showcase these idealized selves – often coupled with explicit fat talk designed to shame other adolescent girls into becoming thinner; considered healthier.

Using a sensitivity analysis, researchers found that, after controlling for ethnicity in both sexes, low maternal BMI, low paternal BMI, unintended pregnancy, low self-esteem and not reaching recommended physical activity levels were predictors of persistent adolescent thinness.