What's a healthy weight?

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People come in all shapes and sizes and grow at different rates, so there isn't one healthy weight to aim for. And it can be quite normal for two people who are the same height to have a different weight.
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But if you're worried that you might be overweight or underweight, go to see your GP. They will be able to judge by checking your height, age and by looking at your body shape whether you need to take any action. They can refer you to a dietitian if they think you need more advice.

If you want to keep your weight at a healthy level, you should follow a healthy balanced diet and keep physically active. Having a healthy balanced diet means you should:

eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, at least 5 portions of a variety every day
base your meals on starchy foods, such as potatoes, brown rice and wholemeal bread
have just moderate amounts of meat, fish and other good sources of protein
have some dairy foods such as cheese, milk and yoghurt – choose lower fat options whenever you can
watch how much salt you're eating – the most anyone over the age of 11 should be having is 6g a day (or 2.4g sodium)
watch out for high fat or high sugar snacks and drinks, and don't have them too often

If you're rushing about between school, doing your homework and seeing your friends, it's very tempting to grab foods that are quick and easy to eat, which may mean they're loaded with fat and sugar. So click here to check out our Food on the run section and get some ideas for healthy snacks you can knock up in minutes. As well as what you eat, getting active is one of the most important things you can do to help keep a healthy weight.

You probably spend most of the day sitting down so it's important to get moving whenever you can every day. Regular activity will help you look and feel better so why not walk to school (or get off the bus a stop or two early), or you could walk round to your friend's house to see them for a chat?

If you don't fancy going to the gym, then swimming, table tennis and all sorts of sport are great exercise. The trick is choosing an activity you like doing. Why not try something a bit more fun such as dancing, or get together with your friends to do an exercise video?

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