The therapeutic nutritionist and vice -president of the Friends of Health Association, Areej Al -Saad, said that teenagers get nutritional advice from multiple sources, such as family, friends, specialists and social media, stressing that all of these sources are not reliable, and that common diets on social media lack the scientific basis.
Al -Saad added that a survey conducted in 2024 via the MyFitnessPal platform showed that only 2.1% of the nutrition content on a famous social platform was accurate, which confirms the importance of educating adolescents about the need to verify information.
She pointed out that misleading information may be greatly harmful, explaining that the adolescence period is an important stage for physical and emotional growth, and that communication may enhance unrealistic body standards, and increase the risk of eating disorders.
She added that there are dangerous trends spread among adolescents, such as harsh diets, slimming pills, and “Detox” products that may lead to serious health problems.
Areej Al-Saad indicated that many common diets on social media lack the scientific basis, which may lead to a lack of vitamins and minerals or other health problems, explaining that among these systems:- keto diet or low-carb and high-fat systems, which may cause constipation and increase the risk of heart disease and kidney problems.– low-carb and high protein systems, which may affect Negatively to the health of the heart and the digestive system.- Meat-based systems such as “Balo” and “Carnevor”, which lack fiber and increase the possibility of heart disease.
Areej Al -Saad stressed the need to avoid some dangerous trends, such as taking supplements before exercise without the water of Dry Scooping, noting that it may cause stomach problems, and may be contaminated. She also warned of the diets and supplements of “Ditox” that I considered unnecessary and may negatively affect health, in addition to the medication of slimming drugs without a prescription, stressing that they are not safe especially for adolescents.
She stressed the importance of encouraging adolescents to follow healthy eating patterns by supporting balanced and varied eating habits, such as the Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables and healthy fats, and a Mind diet that enhances brain and heart health, as well as plant systems that can be followed safely under the supervision of a specialist to prevent any food shortage.
She concluded by emphasizing the importance of talking with adolescents about diets in a correct way, calling for avoiding the style of lectures and encouraging open discussion with a focus on health instead of weight, and that parents are role models in healthy eating habits, while using a nutritionist when needed
