Physicality is a fraught subject in adolescence. While fitness and weight maintenance are crucial for disease prevention, putting too much emphasis on physical appearance especially when so many teens already feel insecure and dissatisfied with how they look could trigger unhealthy body-image issues. One way to make sure kids log off the computer or video-game console and get their minimum recommended one hour of physical activity per day is to encourage participation in organized sports which is also a great way to foster self-esteem and teamwork. But Weitzman cautions that sports should be primarily for the kids' satisfaction, not the parents'.
The road to wellness begins in childhood and twists and turns over time. We asked five experts in prevention to give their best advice for staying healthy throughout life