Canadian adolescents make daily nutritional choices that play a vital role in their overall health and well-being. Although the importance of a healthy diet is well recognized by health professionals and educators, many young people struggle to adopt a balanced and sustainable diet. In fact, young Canadians tend to be more impulsive than their adult counterparts and find eating in moderation unattractive. Additionally, they gain independence in choosing the types and frequency of their meals, making them susceptible to poor eating habits. Many adolescents in Canada find that environmental factors can contribute to unhealthy eating habits; moreover, these diets have harmful effects on health. However, a poor diet usually starts with poor-quality eating habits. Unhealthy eating habits are characterized in two ways: eating significantly more or less than is calorically necessary and eating inconsistently throughout the day. When a person consumes too much or too little food, an energy imbalance occurs. If there is excess energy in the body, it is converted to fat; Conversely, if the amount of energy in the body is insufficient, fat is transformed into energy. Fluctuations in fat percentage put strain on the body and increase the risk of disease. Another type of poor diet occurs when meals are not distributed evenly throughout the day. Teenagers who eat sporadically have difficulty maintaining normal blood sugar levels, leading to extreme high and low blood sugar levels. Insulin, a blood glucose regulating hormone, must adapt to unstable glucose levels. Over a prolonged period of time, changing insulin levels results in a reduction in insulin sensitivity. I...... middle of paper......feelings of sadness and depression. In extreme cases, this body image anxiety can cause eating disorders, which require a long and difficult recovery if left untreated. Poor eating habits caused by environmental stress can harm the health of Canadian adolescents. Unhealthy eating habits often involve eating insufficient or excessive amounts of food and having an irregular meal schedule. Stress and busy schedules can trigger these unhealthy eating habits, leading to drastic weight changes and depression. Unfortunately, adolescents are vulnerable to learning destructive eating habits due to their impulsive nature and growing independence. Although it can be difficult for teens to create a unique eating plan tailored to their specific needs, the food choices they make influence an important part of their overall well-being..