By UNC Health Talk

Editor's note: This article originally appeared on UNC Health Talk.

Around age 11, children experience a major growth of neurons, or brain cells, that shifts which parts of the brain dominate behavior and decision-making. At this time, the prefrontal cortex, which controls behavior and decision-making, is growing but not yet mature, while the limbic system, which controls fear and pleasure, is becoming the most active it will ever be.

That means that adolescent behavior is being driven by unfiltered fear or pleasure-seeking emotions. They dont think before they act because their brains arent wired to do that, says UNC Health Care pediatrician Dr. Martha Perry.

Back in the age of hunter-gatherers, teenagers needed to go out and make their own way. They would need to have the courage to take risks and the hypervigilance to keep themselves safe until they had more experience, Dr. Perry says.

Today, these changes can lead teens to engage in risky behaviors that may affect their health and safety.

If time and experience are what help teenage brains develop, learn to navigate the world, and make decisions, how can parents help guide them?

The first [thing] is to recognize that they are risk-seeking at this stage of development and give them opportunities to practice this behavior safely, Dr. Perry says.

Some safe ways for kids to get an adrenaline rush include participating in sports, going to amusement parks or performing music, comedy or dance. If they have that safe and structured outlet, they are less likely to seek risk elsewhere, Dr. Perry says.

The second important thing for parents to recognize is that teens are hypersensitive during this time. Sometimes they are really upset about things that dont seem significant to us as adults, Dr. Perry says.

It can be a confusing time: There are moments when teenagers can be rational and make appropriate decisions. But in other moments, they cannot explain why they made a certain choice or why they find something upsetting.

A common thing I hear from parents is that their child knows better, Dr. Perry says. Teenagers may know the risks or the reasons not to do something, but, remember, the limbic system dominates and drives their behavior. Their brains are not wired to think through what is right or wrong in the moment. They just act because of what they needed to be doing hundreds of years ago, she says.

Giving teenagers accurate, unbiased information is key to getting through to the prefrontal cortex. But having conversations with teenagers about vaping, drinking alcohol, having sex or doing drugs can be difficult.

One way to help teens navigate these decisions is to talk about these issues often. For example, if youre out together and see someone engaging in a risky behavior, such as vaping, use it as a teachable moment. You might ask, Have you heard of vaping, or have you seen people vaping? Give accurate, age-appropriate information on the subject, such as that vaping can be dangerous to your lungs and addictive. Then you might follow up with another question: Do you know what addiction is? Lets talk about that.

The earlier you have those conversations, the more awareness kids have and the more opportunities they have had to think about it on their own, Dr. Perry says. When the time comes that they are in a situation where everyone around them is smoking or vaping, they have more brainpower to make that choice.

But be careful about giving misinformation. Saying, If you vape once, you will get addicted or If you have sex, you will get pregnant is not completely accurate. You dont want your teenager to stop trusting what you are saying, Dr. Perry says.

So, make sure to obtain information from reliable sources. You can also acknowledge that you dont have all the facts. Saying, We can look it up together, for example, can make learning a shared experience.

Teenage brains are not wired to have a reasonable conversation during a moment of upset, and teens need to have their emotions validated.

Parents see an adultlike figure in front of them and think that they can have a reasonable conversation, and they cant. And when that doesnt happen, they sometimes view their teenagers behavior as disrespect, Dr. Perry says. Its not that they are trying to disrespect their parents; its more that their brains are driving them to be irrational and hypersensitive.

So, hear them out. Why they are upset might not make sense to you, but when you listen and validate how they are feeling, it creates trust. Try responding with, I can see you are very upset or I understand this is really hard. These phrases might seem simple, but they can help your teen feel understood.

Plain and simple: Keep the conversation going. If you find out that your child has engaged in a risky behavior, do not freak out. Keeping dialogue open is critical to helping him or her navigate a complicated situation.

For instance, if teenagers feel judged or that they will be in trouble with their parents, they are not likely to share information. Do not dismiss the behavior, but instead thank them for sharing the information with you. Ask them to tell you more about what happened and how they feel about it.

Kids will be surprised to hear parents talking to them in that way, but that is how you are going to get more information and be able to help them sort out how they feel, Dr. Perry says. Framing your response around your concern for their safety can also help minimize feelings of judgment.

If you are upset with your teenager, take a break before talking with him or her. As a parent, it is disappointing, and you feel angry when you hear your kid is doing something that you think they shouldnt be doing. But if they are choosing to tell you, that also means that they trust you, Dr. Perry says.

Signs that teens are experiencing challenges that warrant professional help include a drop in their grades, loss of appetite and weight loss, withdrawn or secretive behaviors, decreased interest in things they used to enjoy and isolation from friends and family. Any time that a parent notices a dramatic change like that, I think its important not to just chalk it up to them being a teenager, but to seek help at that point from their pediatrician, family physician or other trusted health professional, Dr. Perry says.

Share with teenagers why a visit with a health provider is important, so they feel like they are being helped, not judged. Teenagers might see a trip to the pediatrician as a form of punishment, as if you are trying to get the doctor on your side.

We know that punishment isnt an effective way of changing a behavior in the long term, Dr. Perry says. Letting them know that you are concerned for their safety and that you want to do things that support them so that they can stay safe would be a better direction to go.

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How to talk to your teens about their unhealthy behaviors - WRAL.com

Despite the increasing number of people in the United States who say that they are trying to lose weight, the average body mass index (BMI) of U.S. adults is on the rise.

This is according to new research appearing in the journal JAMA Network Open.

Dr. Lu Qi, director of the Tulane University Obesity Research Center in New Orleans, LA, is one of the corresponding authors of the study.

As per the study paper's title, the research examined "[t]rends in self-perceived weight status, weight loss attempts, and weight loss strategies among adults in the United States" in 19992006.

Dr. Qi and team used nationally representative data from nine applications of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2016.

In total, they had access to data from 48,026 participants. The researchers examined trends in measured BMI and weight, self-reported weight during the past year, and the difference between measured weight at present and self-reported weight in the prior year.

The study demonstrated that the proportion of participants who tried to lose weight increased over the study period, despite the fact that current weight and weight in prior years had increased.

Specifically, the number of adults who said that they had tried to lose weight rose from 34% to 42% in 19992016. During this time, the most common weight loss strategies the participants applied were eating less, exercising more, and drinking more water.

U.S. adults also reported changing their eating habits, such as "consuming less sugar, candy, and sweets" and eating less junk food or fast food.

However, despite these efforts, the "trends for actually measured weight and self-reported weight history increased during the same time period," the study authors write.

In fact, if 33.7% adults had obesity in 20072008, this number jumped to 39.6% in 20152016.

This suggests, the study authors explain, that the weight loss strategies "may not have translated into effective weight loss," even though studies show that these strategies should be effective.

"These findings," says Dr. Qi, "suggest that although 3442% of U.S. adults in our study reported weight loss efforts, many of them might either not actually implement weight loss strategies or apply a minimal level of effort, which yielded unsatisfactory results."

In other words, U.S. adults hoping to lose weight would need to apply more effort, particularly in terms of adherence. "Reduced food consumption is one common strategy to lose weight, but modified diets are difficult to maintain," says Dr. Qi.

"These findings suggest a need to increase the promotion of effective strategies for weight loss, including caloric reduction and increased physical activity, among all adults attempting to lose weight," she adds.

"Notably, adherence is the primary factor predictive of a successful response to a weight loss attempt. Therefore, weight loss strategies that consider a participant's preferences and abilities may help them stick with it long-term."

Dr. Lu Qi

The researchers also mention the possibility that the contradiction in trends is down to the fact that the participants who tried to lose weight were not those who may have needed to.

Conversely, those who might have needed to lose weight for health reasons may not have tried very hard to do so because they considered their weight to be "normal."

In fact, the number of people who thought they were "approximately the right weight" also increased over the 15 year period, report the researchers.

The researchers acknowledge some other potential limitations to their study. Firstly, participants self-reported the data on weight self-perceptions and weight loss efforts, which makes the information subject to potential bias.

However, the study authors say that the difference between how the participants reported their current weight and their measured weight was minimal, indicating that their approximations may have been correct.

Secondly, the NHANES surveys did not collect information on the "frequency, duration, or number of weight loss attempts or strategies."

Finally, and importantly, the study could not establish causality or temporal relationships in the observed trends.

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Average US BMI on the rise despite increasing weight loss efforts - Medical News Today

As an aesthetic society, we often demonise body fat and stigmatise people with lots of it. Theres often an assumption that people carrying excess weight dont exercise and must be unhealthy.

But thats not true: you can be fat and fit. In fact, as we age, low levels of fitness can be more harmful to our health than high amounts of fat.

Read more: Interactive body map: physical inactivity and the risks to your health

For those considering starting exercise, try looking beyond weight loss for motivation. No matter how much you weigh, there are always benefits to exercise.

Exercise actually does a pretty poor job of getting us to expend enough excess energy to lose weight. This is partly due to a compensatory effect of our appetite, which increases after we exercise.

Exercise changes our body composition how much fat we have as a ratio to how much lean (muscle) tissue we have but this doesnt always cause big changes on the scales.

Here are just five ways exercise improves our health, no matter how much we weigh.

Cardiorespiratory fitness is a measure of how far and hard you can run without needing to stop, or how many stairs you can climb without being out of breath. Running for longer, or climbing more stairs, means you have a higher absolute cardiorespiratory fitness which cannot be improved with weight loss alone.

Having a high body mass index (BMI) may reduce the absolute intensity you can exercise but it doesnt mean it is less effective.

You may be able to jog between every third lamppost, for example, but not run consistently for 1 km. While it may seem the periodic jogging is not as impressive, its all relative to your baseline and any exercise is better than none.

If youre carrying a lot of excess weight, you might prefer non-weight bearing exercise such as swimming or cycling indoors to minimise stress on your joints but this will depend on you and what you like doing. After all, youre more likely to continue exercising if you enjoy it.

If youre thinking but I hate running/swimming/cycling/dancing and Id rather lift weights, then lift weights! Although lifting weights doesnt have the same effects as cardio training, the benefits are still as important for mobility, joint function and maintaining muscle mass as we age.

Read more: Don't have time to exercise? Here's a regimen everyone can squeeze in

Exercise reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, even in those with a chronic disease such as diabetes, irrespective of body fatness.

Regular exercise helps lower blood pressure, improves delivery of blood throughout the body, and reduces inflammation, even in those with a high body mass index.

Exercise improves our bodys ability to use energy. We store large amounts of energy as fat, which is quite hard to break down, as it costs a lot of oxygen compared to cheaper fuels for the body to use like glucose.

But when we exercise regularly, we increase our bodys ability to use fat as a fuel source as well as requiring more energy at rest.

This doesnt necessarily mean more exercise equals more fat loss, but it does mean more fat turnover, and typically less fat stored in and around the organs (the bad visceral fat).

Read more: Belly fat is the most dangerous, but losing it from anywhere helps

Research has consistently shown that people who exercise (regardless of body size and shape) have better mental health and lower levels of stress, depression and emotional problems.

It does this via blood flow to the brain, increased release of endorphins that make us feel happy, and by helping to moderate the brains response to stress.

Often, the hardest part is getting started with exercise or going to perform the exercise, but once you are moving the mental health benefits begin.

While exercise may not help us lose a lot of weight on the scales, its a good way to keep weight off and prevent weight regain.

Regular exercise continues to encourage the body to use stored fuels and remodel tissues (such as muscle) to grow healthier and stronger.

But preventing weight regain is tough. People who have lost weight may need greater amounts of exercise to counteract the physiological drive to return to the heavier body weight.

Read more: Genes, joules or gut bugs: which one is most to blame when it comes to weight gain?

If you need some extra help getting started or finding a routine that suits you, talk to your GP or consider seeing an accredited exercise physiologist.

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If weight loss is your only goal for exercise, it's time to rethink your priorities - The Conversation AU

The popular weight-loss trend ofintermittent fastingisnt going anywhere and has only continued to gain steam, with celebrities likeKourtney Kardashian,Hugh JackmanandChris Prattextolling its virtues. The latest stars to jump on the fasting bandwagon areJenna Bush Hager and Hoda Kotb, who decided to try intermittent fasting together (and publicly weighed themselves on camera on Today with Hoda and Jenna).

So what, exactly, is intermittent fasting? Intermittent fasting is a weight loss or weight control strategy where youre cycling between periods of eating and fasting,Sarah Adler, PhD, a psychologist with the Stanford Eating Disorder and Weight Control Clinic, tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

There are several ways to do intermittent fasting, but it typically involves choosing a specific window of time in which you can consume food or caloric drinks. It can be as simple as skipping breakfast and eating at noon or finishing your last meal earlier, says Adler.

One popular method is 16:8, where people fast for 16 hours and only eat during an 8-hour window, such as noon to 8 p.m. While fasting for 16 hours does sound like a lot, keep in mind that includes (hopefully) 8 hours ofsleep. Theres also the 5:2 method whichJimmy Kimmelfollows where people eat restricted calories (such as 500-600 calories per day) for two nonconsecutive days and then eat normally for the other five days.

For many who are able to stick with it, intermittent fasting is the magic bullet forweight loss. Ive seen a lot of people who have struggled with weight loss and have done intermittent fasting, and it seems to be the magic bullet for them,Liz Weinandy, a registered dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Its because people are not eating as much.

Theyre also eliminating late-night eating, which can include less-than-healthy options like chips and ice cream. Once they stop eating after dinner, that alone helps a lot of people start to lose weight, says Weinandy. For a lot of people, theyre not eating those extra 300 or 400 calories.

Intermittent fasting can also have a diuretic effect when the body gets rid of excess water which leads to some fluid weight loss as well, according to Weinandy.

However, its worth noting that some researchers say theres not enough scientific evidence on the long-term weight loss effects of intermittent fasting. The research based on the efficacy of intermittent fasting is fairly limited in humans, so most is anecdotal, says Adler. In addition, a 2018 Germanstudy described as the largest investigation on intermittent fasting to date involving 150 overweight and obese people on either intermittent fasting or conventional calorie-restricting diets, who were examined over the course of a year, found that intermittent fasting wasnt any more effective at weight loss than calorie restriction.

That said, intermittent fast has other health benefits. Insulin levels go down, says Weinandy, because if youre not taking in any food, especially carbohydrates, our blood sugar isnt going up.

Adler explains that when you eat carbs, for example, the body breaks it down and converts it into sugar (glucose). But if you eat more than your body can use for energy, the sugar gets stored in fat cells."Insulin brings sugar into fat cells and keeps it there," says Adler. "Between meals, our insulin levels go down and our fat cells release the stored sugar to use as energy. Intermittent fasting allows for insulin levels to drop so that [stored sugar] gets burned off."

There are other positive metabolic effects, including an increase inhuman growth hormone. Its important for muscle maintenance, especially as we get older, says Weinandy. Intermittent fasting also appears to help on a cellular level torepair DNA, says Weinandy, by triggering autophagy the bodys way of cleaning out damaged cells to then generate new, healthy ones.

However, not all types of intermittent fasting are created equal. Research around intermittent fasting that shows health benefits are really limited to a very specific kind of intermittent fasting basically, the 16:8 method, points out Adler. The health benefits have not been shown to be associated with other forms of intermittent fasting, like the 5:2 method.

Most side effects are fairly minimal, notes Adler. When people first start intermittent fasting, some may experience mild headaches or lightheadedness. In some cases, people who are not following the 16:8 method may find themselves overeating at other meals. With intermittent fasting, 16:8 has been shown to reduce overeating in other meals, says Adler. Outside of that is when youre getting overeating, increased hunger, and loss of energy.

The eating method also isnt right for everyone, says Weinandy. For example, some may find that skipping breakfast in the morning isnt sustainable. In that case, not snacking after dinner, such as cutting off food by 8pm (or earlier in the evening), may work better for them. Dont go hot and heavy into it, suggests Weinandy. Gradually stop eating after dinner.

Adds Adler: "People need to use an approach that works for them and is sustainable for them.

In general, its considered pretty safe for the majority of people, says Weinandy. But women who arepregnantor are trying to get pregnant, as well as women who arebreastfeeding, should not attempt to do intermittent fasting. Also, Anyone who has a history of eating disorders should not be intermittent fasting, notes Adler. People with heart conditions and diabetes who are interested in trying the method should be monitored by a physician, who is knowledgeable about metabolic conditions.

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What you need to know about intermittent fasting and who should avoid it - Yahoo Lifestyle