Nutrition and Teenage Years
A child’s nutrition is important to overall health. Good nutrition will ensure full potential of normal growth and prevent many medical problems, including obesity, diabetes, skeletal problems and anemia. Breakfast is an important meal to insure refueling of the body and ensure nutrient needs for the day. A healthy diet and regular physical activity should build a desirable lifestyle pattern hopefully for a life time.
The second period of rapid growth for children occurs during the teenage years. Generally girls start this growth spurt earlier than boys between the ages of 11 and 13, some girls as early as age 7 to 8. Boys experience rapid growth usually between the ages of 12 and 16. During their teenage period of growth girls gain about to 25 cm in height and boys 30 cm. Teenage girls also gain both lean and fat tissue while boys tent to gain mostly lean tissue. This growth gain generally provides 15 to 20% of ultimate height and about 50% of ultimate weight for an adult.
Nutritional problems are common during teenage years. For example studies showed that only 25% of students during their teenage years consume five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. In contrast fat intake was more than four percentage points above the suggested amounts and sodium more than 25% than recommended.
Further concerns with nutrition include: Iron Deficiency Anemia. Iron deficiency appears sometimes in girls the same time as menstruation starts and with boys during their rapid growth period. Intake of calcium appeared inadequate for both sexes between the ages of 10 and 18 years.
Teenage girls need to choose food sources rich in iron, in particular if they experience heavy menstrual flows, such as lean meat an enriched cereals to compensate for any iron loses. Additionally, three servings of milk, cheese and yogurt is recommended for both teenage boys and girls to receive the suggested 1300 mg/day. It is necessary that nutrition from good food sources is dense in essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals to meet the needs for all bodily functions, growth and repair of tissues.
It is not unusual for both sexes during the teenage years but most commonly with teenage girls to show preference to fad diets or miss meals. Teenage girls more often than boys are concerned with appearance and body weight and optimal nutrition may take second place. More than 25% of teenage female students reported to follow a weight lose program even though the considered themselves to have the right weight.
A common practice among teenage girls is focusing on fat free foods. However, some fats and especially essential fatty acids are important for many body functions. The teenage years are a time of rapid growth and development. Since it is common to see teenage nutritional problems to curry on in life to adulthood and one day become problems of nutrition and the aged, early education and information about nutrition and good eating habits are essential.
During teenage years a rapid growth period many changes occur in many areas - physical, psychological and social - it is important for teenagers to understand the importance of nutrition. A diet low in saturated fat, cholesterol, moderate in sugars and salt and dense in nutrients is important to insure good health.
Inadequate nutrition intake and consumption of foods deficient in vital nutrients; vitamins minerals, essential fatty acids and trace elements can set the stage for the development of many health problems later in life. Nutrition matters. A large part of wellbeing depends on good nutrition.
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