Let's try a little game of prediction, shall we?

Can you tell what's in your future? Do you have psychic abilities?

What if we told you that you can not only predict your future, but you can see that it comes true?

Here's a little scenario to drive home the point. The two case studies presented in this article are true to the individuals mentioned. We are betting you can predict which one of them will achieve his dreams and which one will grow up with a multitude of health problems such as persistent backaches, perhaps even becoming obese or developing diabetes.

Rahul (19) and Nikhyl (16) are two young men living in different cities, leading active lives, eating well and harbouring ambitious plans for a brilliantly successful future. Both of their families are well off, so the boys own a computer each -- they have access to unlimited online virtual games and also enjoy video game consoles like PlayStation. Now, that's life!

Rahul's story

It's 9 pm and Rahul, a brainy 19-year-old, has long-since finished dinner and an hour's worth of studying to log onto the computer and indulge in his favourite pastime -- virtual football. In fact, he's been at it for the last four hours now. He works up a mental sweat as the game progresses -- his hard work at mastering this virtual game has made him an online star and his parents are proud of him. Their son, the tech wiz and computer gaming expert, will someday own his own gaming company.

Finally, Rahul has had enough. He flops in front of the television for another hour or two, to relieve the stress the high-intensity game brings on -- it often tenses up his shoulder muscles and makes his eyes water.

When hungry, Rahul usually snacks on cookies, cheese, colas and other 'cool' junk food. He dislikes fruit and vegetables, but then he feels and appears to be rather healthy -- he weighs in at 72 kgs, not overweight for his 5'5" frame. Except for fracturing his leg last year and the occasional twinge of pain in his shoulder blades, he is living the good life.

Nikhyl's story

Nikhyl, 16, is a student of Class XII with an excellent academic record. An avid swimmer, he swims for two and a half hours, six days a week, averaging 2000 yards per session and burning an equal number of calories.

Nikhyl often comes home after practice and works on the computer for nearly four hours at a stretch. He relieves his strained and fatigued muscles by frequently stretching them. He rarely watches television and sticks to a high carbohydrate and protein diet to supplement his energy and build his muscles. Dreaming of medals makes him eat his vegetables and fruit and you'll never catch him with a fizzy drink in his hand.

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Nikhil's weight -- 62 kgs -- is ideal for his his lanky 5'10" frame and he's never complained of backaches or suffered any bone injuries. He stays fit to face the toughest competition in the pool.

Time to turn in your predictions, people! It's really not that hard to figure out what the future holds for these two young men. Rahul is inviting a host of health problems from which Nikhyl is well-protected, the most common being musculo-skeletal disorders (MSDs). More and more youngsters are showing up at clinics with muscular and skeletal disorders and injuries.

So what causes these problems?Remaining hunched over a computer screen or being a couch potato for hours at a stretch.Carrying books weighing over 5-7 kgs.Insufficient physical exercise causes bones to thin out and weaken, leaving an individual susceptible to fractures.Diets lacking in essential nutrients like calcium and protein further weaken an individual. Staying indoors compounds the problem, as the sun is a vital source of Vitamin D.Eating junk foods and leading a sedentary lifestyle further lead to obesity and strain the backbone and muscles.

Now that we have predicted an unhealthy future for Rahul, what can he do to prevent it?

The golden rules for good musculo-skeletal health are diet, exercise and good posture.

DietA well balanced diet is critical. You need to consume:Whole grain carbohydratesLow-fat proteins like poultry, fish, nuts and beansLow-fat milk (at least two glasses a day)A variety of vegetables and fruitAvoid processed, fried, salty and sweet foods

Exercise Teens and young adults must perform at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity at least five times a week.

PostureMaintaining a good posture while sitting, standing and walking is critical.Keep moving to get the energy flowing through your body and to feel more alive. Muscles should be worked for the body to be trim and well-toned. This will help strengthen the back as well as give you good stature.

Make your move. Your future is yours to choose -- do you choose to be a slouch potato or a winner?

Poonam Vaswani is a dietitician with NutritionVista.com