Between worrying about their homework, their friends, dating, their parents’ expectations, household chores, the changes that are happening to their bodies as a result of puberty, band practice, drama club, sports teams, and the school newspaper, teenagers may not feel like they have time to think about how to stay healthy. Additionally, without a good understanding of how their actions will impact their health when they are adults, many teens may not see the point of trying to stay as healthy as possible.

However, in reality, the habits that teens develop when they are young will have a big impact on their health as adults. It is important for teens to understand what they can do to be healthy. While many consequences of a teen’s behavior may not catch up with him or her until he or she is an adult, teens do face immediate health risks as well. There are several different strategies that teens can use to improve their risks for these negative consequences, but sticking to these strategies can be difficult. Fortunately, teens can always turn to their doctors for health advice and guidance.    

More than half of adults in the United States die from heart disease, cancer, and stroke, which are preventable conditions in many cases. Behaviors that can cause these health problems often begin when people are young and can include using tobacco products, being physically inactive, and eating an unhealthy diet high in fat and sodium. Not only do these behaviors damage people’s bodies when they are teenagers, but teenagers who do not eat healthy diets and teenagers who smoke tobacco products are also likely to carry those unhealthy habits with them into adulthood.

The leading causes of death in teenagers and young adults are often immediate consequences of risky behaviors (ex. not wearing seat belts, using weapons) and include car accidents, other types of accidents that lead to unintentional physical injuries (ex. drowning, poisoning), homicides, and suicides.

Teenagers should also be especially concerned about the consequences of unprotected sex. Unprotected sex can lead to unplanned pregnancies, which can cause financial burdens and social and emotional struggles. Many teenage parents do not finish high school, are depressed, and also must sacrifice spending time with their friends to raise their children.

Sexually transmitted diseases, such as Chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, and HIV/AIDS, are also potential consequences of unprotected sex. These diseases can harm a teenager’s health by causing pain, infertility, and even death in some cases.

Teenage males tend to wear seat belts less often than teenage females, putting them at a greater risk for being injured in car accidents. Also, young men are more likely to carry weapons, get into physical fights, use smokeless tobacco products and marijuana, drink alcohol heavily, and have more sexual partners than young women. The fact that young males tend to engage in these dangerous behaviors more frequently than young females makes them more at risk for a variety of health problems, physical injuries, and homicide.

Conversely, female teenagers try to commit suicide more often than young men do, meaning that they are at an increased risk for emotional health issues. Additionally, young women may try to lose weight in harmful ways (ex. by starving themselves or purging after meals) more often than young men do, which puts them at risk for eating disorders and complications that include heart problems, kidney problems, and digestive problems.

Avoiding the use of any tobacco product and avoiding breathing second hand cigarette smoke. Tobacco products contain many chemicals, such as nicotine and carbon monoxide, that damage a person’s body. Smoking cigarettes causes many health conditions including heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer, all of which can eventually lead to death. People who breathe the smoke that smokers exhale (second hand smoke) are also at risk for adverse health consequences as well, including heart disease and lung cancer. Additionally, people who use smokeless tobacco products (ex. chewing tobacco) are also at risk for certain cancers like cancer of the mouth and other conditions, including heart disease. Because there is no safe form of tobacco, it is important to avoid the substance altogether.

Getting regular exercise. Being physically active can help teenagers control their weight (which leads to better overall health) and prevent many health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Physical activity can also strengthen muscles and bones and can improve mental health and mood.

Teenagers should try to get 30 minutes (or more) of aerobic activity on at least five days of the week. Aerobic activities raise one’s heart rate and can include brisk walking, swimming, and sports like basketball and tennis.

Becoming more physically active can be challenging, but choosing enjoyable activities, working out with friends or family members, and starting slowly by making smaller changes (ex. trying to walk more) first can help someone maintain this good health habit.

Eating a healthy diet. Eating a healthy diet can help teens control their weight, which prevents obesity and the health conditions that can result including diabetes, heart problems, and high blood pressure. Eating a healthy diet means eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins (ex. chicken, turkey, and fish), whole grains, fiber, and low fat or non-fat dairy products. It also means avoiding foods with a lot of sugar, sodium, or fat. Having healthy snacks available, learning how to prepare food in healthy ways (ex. grilling or baking), and looking at healthy eating as a way of life instead of as a temporary “diet” can help teens adopt and maintain healthy eating habits.

Practicing safety tips related to vehicles. To prevent vehicle-related injuries, always wear a seatbelt, never drive while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, never get in a car that will be driven by someone else who is drunk or under the influence of other drugs, and wear a helmet while riding on a motorcycle.

Avoiding swimming alone. Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death among teenagers. This may be because teenagers misjudge water conditions and/or their swimming abilities. However, swimming with someone else can reduce the risk of drowning because one person can help or call for help if the other person gets into trouble.

Talking to an adult (ex. a parent or doctor) if feelings of sadness are overwhelming or if thinking about doing personal harm. Teens go through many emotional changes along with the physical changes of puberty. They may also become stressed out by the demands of school and the pressures of their social lives. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in teens and often occurs because teens are depressed, sad, overwhelmed, or experiencing other negative emotions that they do not know how to deal with. When experiencing those feelings or when having problems coping with stress, not sleeping and eating properly, and not engaging in normal social activities, talk to someone like a parent, a doctor, a counselor, or a psychologist who can help.

Avoiding situations of violence or fighting. Violence and fighting can cause unintentional injuries that can sometimes be fatal. Teens may encounter situations that can lead to violence at school or while out with the friends. Trying to steer clear of fights and dangerous situations (ex. gang encounters, hanging around other teenagers who are carrying weapons, or being in an abusive dating relationship) can help teens avoid injuries.

Practicing safe sex or abstaining from sex. If teenagers are having sex, they should use condoms to protect against both pregnancy and infection with sexually transmitted diseases. Not having sex is the only sure way to prevent pregnancy and with sexually transmitted infections.

Another strategy that can help teens stay healthy is to schedule regular, annual visits with their doctors. During these exams, doctors can determine a teen’s risks for certain health problems by asking him or her about his or her behaviors. For example, doctors may ask a teen about his or her sexual behaviors, any emotional issues, and whether or not he or she is using alcohol, tobacco products, or any other substances (ex. drugs or steroids). Additionally, doctors will measure a teen’s height, weight, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure to assess how likely he or she is to develop health problems like obesity and heart disease. Doctors may look for signs of certain conditions as well, including eating disorders.

Teens also need to make sure that they visit their doctors regularly to receive any vaccinations that they may need. A vaccination is a shot to reduce the likelihood that a person will get a specific disease. Teens may have gotten many vaccines when they were children against diseases including polio, mumps, and measles, but doctors recommend certain vaccinations for teenagers as well.

For example, doctors recommend that teenagers get a yearly flu vaccination. Also, doctors recommend that teens receive booster shots (or additional doses of vaccine that continue to protect a person from infection with certain diseases) for diphtheria and tetanus 10 years after their last booster shot for these diseases, which was most likely given when the person was between 4 and 6 years old. Diphtheria is a disease that can attack the throat, block the airway, and cause difficulty breathing. Sometimes, it also attacks the heart, which can cause heart failure and death. Tetanus, also called “lockjaw” occurs when a certain type of bacteria contaminates a wound. Tetanus affects the nerves, leading to severe muscle spasms and even death.

Additionally, although doctors recommend that children receive a variety of vaccinations, children do not always get vaccinated for several reasons. For example, a child may not have been vaccinated against a certain disease as a result of a vaccine shortage. Sometimes, the amount of a certain vaccine that is available is not enough for the number of people who should receive the vaccine. One reason that a vaccine shortage may occur is because the company that makes a vaccine cannot make it fast enough to meet the demand. During vaccine shortages, doctors only vaccinate people who need the protection the most, and some children who are at a lesser risk for infection may miss being immunized.

Children also may not be vaccinated according to the recommended immunization schedule because their parents choose to delay their vaccinations. Parents may do this because they are concerned that the numerous vaccinations and the combinations of vaccinations given to young children can overwhelm children’s immune systems and increase the chance that children will have adverse reactions, for example. Regardless of the reason why they were not vaccinated as children, teens should make up these missing vaccinations now that they are older.

Finally, during their visits with their doctors, teens can talk to their doctors about any concerns that they may have regarding their health or their bodies. It is typical for teens to have questions as they go through the physical and emotional changes of puberty, and it is important for them to remember that their doctors are there to provide guidance and help them stay healthy as they grow.

Although teenagers may not want to spend much time thinking about their health, the behavioral choices that they make as teens will have a large impact on their health as adults. Teenagers also face more immediate health consequences (ex. injury and disease) as a result of risky behaviors that they may participate in, including not wearing seat belts and having unprotected sex.

Fortunately, there are several strategies that teens can practice to help ensure that they stay healthy during their teen years and beyond. Examples of these strategies include exercising regularly, avoiding tobacco products, eating a healthy diet, and talking to someone if they feel depressed, sad, or overwhelmed.

Seeing a doctor regularly is also an important way that teens take care of the health. Doctors can figure out what diseases teens are at risk for based on their current behaviors, and they can also give teens vaccinations to prevent certain conditions. Finally, doctors can answer teens’ questions regarding their health and their bodies and give them the advice and guidance that they need to stay healthy.