Can a 15 year old to keto diets?

#23

well into the nineteenth century, the diet in the United States was mostly meat, very little in the way of vegetables, no refined sugar, and very little in the way of refined grains, either. The “diseases of Western civilization” were not nearly as prevalent as they are now, and children grew to be fine strapping adults, taller and healthier than people from almost every other country

Have you ever gone to visit old houses from the 18th century? The ceiling heights were pretty low. The average height has increased since then

This article mentions that and explains:

In fact, over the last 150 years the average height of people in industrialized nations has increased approximately 10 centimeters

the observed increase in height has not been continuous since the dawn of man; it began sometime around the middle of the nineteenth century. In fact, examinations of skeletons show no significant differences in height from the stone age through the early 1800s. Also, during World Wars I and II, when hunger was a frequent companion of the German civilian population, the heights of the children actually declined. They only recovered during the post-war years.

Such data are consistent with recent research indicating that slow growth induced by temporary malnourishment can usually be reversed. Chronic underfeeding during childhood, however, permanently affects stature and other traits, including intelligence

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-are-we-getting-taller/

(the cheater) #24

Just a small reminder that a ketogenic diet doesn’t necessarily have to be a losing weight “diet” - you can even gain weight on keto or stay the same, so all this concern about a 15-year-old or other kids losing weight or fear of having growing kids on keto is somewhat unfounded.

Of course, a lot of us come to this WOE because we need to lose weight - but we forget that it’s just plain ol’ good way to be, metabolically. In any case, KCKO :slight_smile:

#25

I would ask myself “Why Keto?” Is there an underlying condition? -obesity or epileptic seizures? Eat clean and the best quality of food you can afford. Organic/grass-fed when possible. Go see your Dr. and get a full spectrum blood test before beginning. Look at your CRP number (main blood marker for inflammation). Weight loss is one of the main reasons why people go on the Keto Diet. The fat keeps you fuller longer. Most people loose weight because they eat less.

(Bob M) #26

That link you posted does not work. You really have to watch studies with Epileptic children. Because they thought saturated fat was EVIL, in some of the studies, they use very high levels of seed oils. Yes, that’s right, the thing most low carb researchers agree actually IS evil. Even Dr. Davis of Wheatbelly fame has cited to these crappy studies to “prove” that we should go off keto.

As for the original poster, you might consider a targeted ketogenic diet if you’re trying to gain muscle. You might get more muscle glycogen while at the same time (assuming you actually get back to ketosis) getting much of the benefit of ketosis.

(Bob M) #27

Shoot…didn’t realize this was so old before I posted.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #28

One last point to round out the discussion. The ketogenic diet for epilepsy is something like 90% fat and insufficient protein. A number of children were damaged by this insufficiency when they started their pubertal growth spurt, which is where the notion comes from that “keto” is damaging to children. It is not a ketogenic diet in general that is damaging, but the special diet devised for epileptic children. A well-formulated ketogenic diet for children will severely limit carbohydrate, will provide enough protein for growth, and will include enough fat for the child’s energy needs and to promote brain growth (the brain being largely composed of fatty acids and cholesterol).

Children with epilepsy are a special case, and their need for seizure control has to be balanced with their need for enough protein to permit proper growth. And, as already mentioned, the quality of the fats consumed is extremely important.

#29

At the end of the day children with epilepsy is all we have. While a ketogenic diet may be the greatest thing since sliced bread (pun intended) for kids there is no data supporting it or refuting it outside of these children. While my children are still growing (and my husband’s family is vertically challenged so there is some risk there) I will encourage them to eat the best quality food they can but I will not limit their carbs. The data is not available and I will not make them into guinea pigs. Nor do they come from a heritage such as Eskimo where they are genetically adapted to eating this way

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #30

Of course, you are free to do as you wish, but bear in mind that, according to Nina Teicholz, her research shows that at the point where Americans were considered the healthiest people in the world, the diet for both adults and children was almost exclusively meat, with almost no vegetables whatsoever. This didn’t change until the game was mostly hunted off, and domesticated meat production couldn’t keep up with demand.

There is plenty of archaeological evidence to suggest that populations that switched from hunting to agriculture suffered a distinct increase in degenerative diseases when they did. A number of fascinating videos on this topic by Dr. Michael Eades can be found on YouTube.

(Tracy) #31

I agree about mixing high fat with high carbs. My philosophy is not even a little carbs is okay. If you can’t eliminate carbs down to just a few incidentals a day (about 20g) then Keto probably isn’t a good idea.