MFP for teens?

Hawksbillus
Hawksbillus Posts: 128 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a therapist working with troubled teens and sometimes they are overweight or obese. I'd like to refer them to an online resource like MFP. Does MFP have a teen version? I've heard of SparkTeen, but I don't know how it or SparkPeople works.

Are SparkTeen and SparkPeople just basically the same as MFP? If they are different, could anyone tell me how they are different? What do you all think of those websites compared to this one?

Are there other similar online resources for teens? Any information would be appreciated. Thanks!

-jd

Replies

  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    I don't want to be a jerk, but wouldn't it be more helpful to point them to a nutritionist first? I don't know about sparkteen, but I know that MFP is not a good substitute for professional advice. Obese teens need adult, professional guidance. I've seen people on here who have unhealthy eating habits, even bordering on eating disorders, and often these people tend to reinforce one another. It's tough to recommend a site for teens because they can get misleading information anywhere.

    Sorry I know that doesn't really answer your question but I felt like I had to say it.
  • scapez
    scapez Posts: 2,018 Member
    MFPs TOS state that you have to be 18+ to use this site:


    4. ELIGIBILITY

    BY USING THE WEBSITE OR SERVICES, YOU REPRESENT AND WARRANT THAT YOU ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD AND ARE OTHERWISE LEGALLY QUALIFIED TO ENTER INTO AND FORM CONTRACTS UNDER APPLICABLE LAW. This Agreement is void where prohibited.
  • coffeegirl1998
    coffeegirl1998 Posts: 116 Member
    I have a 16 year old daughter with Type I diabetes and her weight has done nothing but go up and up and up which is horrible for anyone....let alone anyone with diabetes. I created an account on here and I monitor her activities just as I would on Facebook.

    I think if there is no guidance from home, I would agree with seeking nutritionist first....as the above posted mentioned, there are many many people that may steer them in the wrong direction creating a whole new set of problems.

    I wish you luck in whatever you decide to do and KUDOS for the work you do!
  • tinana_RN
    tinana_RN Posts: 541 Member
    I saw a 14 year old on here yesterday.

    In all honesty, I think it wouldn't be a horrible idea for teens... I was an overweight teen and no nutritionist would have helped me. I needed to see what I was eating daily and I think I would have pushed myself in the right direction then.
  • coyoteo
    coyoteo Posts: 532 Member
    Sparkpeople is great! I used to use it, but switched when I got a droid and at that time sparkpeople didnt have an app. I've never used the teen version, but perhaps you could check it out with some teens and their parents and see what they think. There is also another one that was great that offered way more as far as reports and customization, but I can't remember what it was called. :/ If I think of it I will message it to you.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    The problem is that growing teens have different nutritional needs than adults. There are liability issues to the owners if teenagers utilize a site geared for adults and God forbid, something happens.

    Sparkteens is the only place I know of that is specifically for teens.
  • mkmacf
    mkmacf Posts: 101
    Depending on the youth's age and how they feel about their parent's involvement (not sure which type of agency you are), I would say to include the parents in that conversation about healthy eating. Also, I agree with the comment about seeking a nutritionist as well. All of these great tools don't need to work in isolation! It's great that you're taking an interest in their weight and health as you see them.

    Good luck!
  • Woooolywool
    Woooolywool Posts: 136 Member
    I don't want to be a jerk, but wouldn't it be more helpful to point them to a nutritionist first? I don't know about sparkteen, but I know that MFP is not a good substitute for professional advice. Obese teens need adult, professional guidance. I've seen people on here who have unhealthy eating habits, even bordering on eating disorders, and often these people tend to reinforce one another. It's tough to recommend a site for teens because they can get misleading information anywhere.

    Sorry I know that doesn't really answer your question but I felt like I had to say it.

    It's true that a site like this can result in teens and other people taking advantage of the tools it has to offer, like the food diary etc. I'm recovering from an eating disorder, and although this website doesn't affect me now, or trigger any behaviours in me, I think that if I would've come across it when I was at my worst, it would have led me to worsen, or abuse the system etc. So, I think that perhaps this isn't the step forward in terms of healthier eating and losing weight for many teenagers.

    But I do see your point, so...
  • Woooolywool
    Woooolywool Posts: 136 Member
    BUT I reckon that if there was a way for teenagers to use a site like this, they should only be able to do so by having a valid parent/guardian/responsible person involved so as to track any suspicious behaviours..
  • QueenJayJay
    QueenJayJay Posts: 1,079 Member
    This is a hot topic. Maybe it would be okay if their use of the site were monitored by a therapist.
  • Hawksbillus
    Hawksbillus Posts: 128 Member
    I should clarify a couple of points. I work as a behavioral therapist in a medical clinic so the teens I work with are already seeing one of our doctors in the office about nutrition and overall health. I work with the doctors to coordinate care on a regular basis.

    Also, I wouldn't refer a teen to a social media site like this without also consulting with their parents (unless they are 18+). With any referral I make I keep the family informed. In this case I would ask the parent's permission before making the recommendation to the teen. If I refer them to SparkTeen, I would also likely recommend to the parent that an adult in the family also make an account and be an online "friend" to their teen.

    I just wanted to know what options were available and how they differed from MFP.

    It looks like SparkTeen and SparkPeople are the best option, but I still don't know what (if any) differences there are between them and MFP. I guess I'll make a SparkPeople account and try it out.

    Thanks for all your help. :)
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