I am obese and weigh 100kg. I have tried to eat right and diet, and a number of things to lose weight. I really don't know how to lose this excess fat and people are always judging me for my looks. How can I show people that I'm a nice person and get them to know me before they look at me and just see me as fat?
Alex, Vic

I really feel for you. You're not alone: 20-25 percent of teenagers are overweight and obese, and many of them feel the way you do. Hopefully with more awareness of this problem, people will stop judging and teasing, and realise that people with weight problems are perfectly nice, normal people. Feeling more confident and better about yourself might seem difficult but it's a great place to start. I'm really glad to hear you say that you're a nice person — it shows that you do believe in yourself.

Apart from how being obese makes you feel, there are lots of good medical reasons to control weight. Being overweight and obese does increase your risk of various medical problems such as diabetes and heart disease. But you probably should get some expert professional advice that involves talking to you about food, exercise, and feelings and involves the whole family. You can also ask your GP for advice or a referral. Teens (12-16 years) who live in New South Wales can ask their GP for a referral to the Weight Management Clinic in the Department of Adolescent Medicine at The Children's Hospital at Westmead (Ph: (02) 9845 2446). Meanwhile, it's more important to concentrate on changing your lifestyle habits than actually losing weight since you'll be growing taller over the next few years. So start walking every day — half an hour will do — and also walk, instead of going by car, to the shops or to school.