‘Crunchy teen’ wellness trend: Attempts to eat healthfully actually full of risk, says Va. provider

‘Crunchy teen’ wellness trend: Attempts to eat healthfully actually full of risk, says Va. provider

The rising “crunchy teen” trend, which rejects conventional food norms in favor of extreme, nature-focused eating habits, is fueling extreme food beliefs and misinformation, according to Christie Youssef, a family medicine practitioner with Kaiser Permanente, in Fairfax, Virginia. “Teens are embracing unverified health claims, from parasite cleanses to linking certain snacks to autism, often without any scientific support,” Youssef said. “It’s l…