Importance

• Adolescent boys see dramatic changes in their height, bone mass and in most every organ, including the brain, which is why they must be vary careful about following diets that restrict important nutrients. At the same time, guys who become obese are likely to continue with unhealthy eating habits and turn into obese adult men. According to Education.com, nearly 17 percent of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 19 are overweight. About 75 percent of those teens will become obese adults. Obesity leads to a wide range of social and physical complications ranging from heart disease and type 2 diabetes to low self-esteem and depression.
  
  

Needs

• Basic needs must be included in any diet you might consider as a teenage guy. You've got to get at least 1,200 mg of calcium a day to support your bone growth. Ideal sources include low-fat and fat-free dairy products like milk and cheese. You can get the same amount of calcium as whole milk products without the extra fat and calories. To develop lean muscles, you've also got to make sure to consume about 12 to 15 mg a day of iron, which you'll get primarily from lean sources of red meat.
  
  

Considerations

• You gain weight because you take in more calories each day than you burn. When considering a diet, you've got to take into consideration how active you are and how intensely you exercise. According to the University of Iowa, most teenage boys need about 2,800 calories a day to support their growth. If you're involved in daily training for a sport however, you might need closer to 4,000 calories just to keep your energy levels up. Athletes accustomed to eating everything in sight might consider going easy on days off from training and learning how to read food labels so you know how many calories you're consuming.
  
  

Changes

• Small changes can make a big difference. Since teenage boys should not become involved in highly restricted fad diets, they may best be served by just changing a few habits. Eliminating sugary sodas and fruit drinks can make a huge difference. According to Education.com, if you drink one cup of juice a day, that can lead to an extra 15 pounds by the end of the year. A sugar-loaded soda a day can lead to an extra 25 pounds a year. Get your nutrients and energy from vegetables instead of filling up on empty calories like chips and cookies. Eliminate your fast-food stops and chances are you won't have to make many more dietary changes to lose weight.