Serving Teens with Special Diets: A Tricky Holiday Recipe

One in 6 parents say their teen has tried a gluten-free, vegan, paleo or vegetarian diet. For some families, the restrictions can cause indigestion.

7:00 AM

Author | Beata Mostafavi

Image of different foods depicting specialty diets

Planning a holiday meal can be hectic, and some families will be managing an extra stressor: accommodating the dietary restrictions of teens on gluten-free, vegan or other special diets.

MORE FROM THE HEALTH BLOG: Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

For a variety of reasons, many teens choose diets that go beyond cutting calories and reducing portion sizes — instead, these special diets restrict entire food groups. That could mean added costs and new logistical challenges for families, suggests a new national poll.

One in 6 parents say their teen has tried a diet that is vegetarian (9 percent), gluten-free (6 percent), vegan (4 percent) or paleo (2 percent) in the past two years, according to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at the University of Michigan.

The diet changes aren't always harmonious. More than half of parents in the Mott poll say the special diets caused conflicts at holiday and family gatherings.

"Teen diets that limit food options can impact the whole family," says poll co-director Sarah Clark, M.P.H. "That can lead to conflict at the holidays if the diet doesn't include the mainstays of the family's traditional meal and the teen refuses to eat Granny's famous mac and cheese or the turkey Aunt Emma spent all day preparing."

Other difficulties are everyday challenges, like finding a suitable place for the whole family to dine out (61 percent), the extra time spent preparing diet-friendly food (55 percent), the stress of family members eating different meals (54 percent) and the added expense of buying special diet foods (50 percent).

"Parents can work with teens to minimize any burden on family members, such as asking the teen to prepare his or her own meals or finding diet-compliant versions of the family's favorite foods," says Clark.

Too little health advice?

Parents gave a variety of reasons for why their teens tried the special diet: 32 percent say it was health-related, while 29 percent say it was because another relative was on the same diet. Other motives include a friend's suggestion (17 percent) and the diet's environmental impact (14 percent).

SEE ALSO: Want to Help Your Teen Eat Healthy? Don't Use the Word 'Diet'

More than half of parents say they did their homework when their teens started a special diet — with nearly half suggesting that the teens began taking vitamins or supplements in tandem. Just 17 percent brought their teens to a health care provider to discuss whether the diet was healthy.

"Parents may not recognize this as a situation that would benefit from advice from a health care professional," says Clark.

About half of parents (52 percent) think the special diet had a positive effect on their teens feeling healthier, while 41 percent think it made no difference.

On the other hand, 7 percent say the diet negatively affected their teens' health.

"There are situations where diets that restrict certain food groups can result in teens not getting enough protein, iron, calcium or other essential parts of a healthy diet," Clark says. "Advice from a dietician or nutritionist can help families weigh the risks and benefits to determine practical options for teens looking for a healthier lifestyle."

The Mott poll report was based on responses from a nationally representative group of 910 parents who had at least one child ages 13 to 18.


More Articles About: Children's Health Nutrition CS Mott Children's Hospital Wellness and Prevention
Health Lab word mark overlaying blue cells
Health Lab

Explore a variety of healthcare news & stories by visiting the Health Lab home page for more articles.

Media Contact Public Relations

Department of Communication at Michigan Medicine

[email protected]

734-764-2220

Stay Informed

Want top health & research news weekly? Sign up for Health Lab’s newsletters today!

Subscribe
Featured News & Stories Girl looking in mirror reading ugly, pimples and bad hair
Health Lab
Fighting negative body image issues in kids and teens
2 in 3 parents say their child is self-conscious about their appearance. 5 ways to nurture positive self-image and confidence in young people.
girl talking to counselor with red hair on couch with parent there too in masks
Health Lab
Study: Hospitalizations for eating disorders spike among adolescents during COVID
One hospital reports significant increase in medical admissions among adolescents with existing or newly developed eating disorders during pandemic.
Graphic of water droplets in varying shades of blue
Health Lab
Parents From Lower-Income Families Less Likely to Say Child’s Water Supply is Safe at Both Home and School
Access to safe drinking water for children is a critical public health concern. A new study shows that only 62% of parents from lower-income families trust the safety of their drinking water versus 80% of parents from high-income households.
Health Lab
How to Prevent Your Kids from Getting Food Poisoning
About 48 million people fall victim to food poisoning each year. Learn how to prevent your kids from getting food poisoning with these six tips.
Person's hand holding an aspirin tablet with a glass of water nearby
Health Lab
An aspirin a day? Some older adults who take it may be following outdated advice
Many people aged 50 to 80 who said they take aspirin multiple times a week may not need to do so and could be causing health risks, according to National Poll on Healthy Aging.
illustration of large pile of cash bills casting a shadow on parents next to a child in a hospital bed
Health Lab
Caregivers more likely to face financial burden following pediatric critical illness
Nearly a third of caregivers with a child in a pediatric intensive care unit experienced signs of underlying financial burden, Michigan research shows