Role of Nutrition in Adolescence

Adolescence & Nutrition

Adolescence (10-19 years) is a phase of life which has recently gained recognition as a distinct
phase of life with its own special needs. This phase is characterized by acceleration of physical
growth and, psychological and behavioral changes thus bringing about transformation from
childhood to adulthood.

Adolescence refers to the period of human growth that occurs between childhood and
 Adulthood. Adolescence begins at around age 10 and ends around age 21. Adolescence can
be broken into three stages:
1. Early Adolescence
2. Middle Adolescence
3. Late Adolescence

Early Adolescence Or Puberty:

Puberty is the time when your child moves through a series of significant, natural and healthy
changes. These physical, psychological and emotional changes signal your child is moving from
childhood to adolescence.

Changes in puberty include:

•  Physical growth and development inside and outside children’s bodies
•  Changes to children’s sexual organs
•  Brain changes
•  Social and emotionalizes.

When does puberty start?

1. Puberty starts when changes in your child’s brain cause sex hormones to start being
released in girls’ ovaries and boys’ testes.
2.  This usually happens around 10-11 years for girls and around 11-13 years for boys.
3. But it’s normal for the start of puberty to range from 8-13 years in girls and 9-14 years in
boys. Every child is different.
4. There’s no way of knowing exactly when your child will start puberty. Early changes
in your child’s brain and hormone levels can’t be seen from the outside, so it’s easy to
think that puberty hasn’t started.
5. Puberty can be completed in about 18 months, or it can take up to five years. This range
is also completely normal.
6. You can support your child during puberty by talking about puberty, supporting healthy
eating and physical activity, and encouraging healthy sleep routines.

Other physical changes in puberty or early adolescence : 

Brain:
Changes in the teenage brain affect your child’s behavior and social skills. Your child will
begin to develop improved self-control and skills in planning, problem-solving and decision-
making. 
Bones, organs and body systems:
Many of your child’s organs will get bigger and stronger. Lung performance improves, limbs
grow, and bones increase in thickness and volume.
Clumsiness:
Because children grow so fast during puberty, their centers of gravity change and their brains
might take a while to adjust. This might affect your child’s balance. You might see a bit more
clumsiness for a while, and your child might be more likely to be injured.
Physical: strength:
Muscles increase in strength and size during this period. Your child’s hand-eye coordination will
get better over time, along with motor skills like ball-catching and throwing.
Weight:
Your child will gain weight and need more healthy food. Teenagers’ stomachs and intestines
increase in size, and they need more energy, proteins and minerals. Foods with plenty
of calcium and iron are important for bone growth and blood circulation.
Sleep: patterns
Sleep patterns change, and many children start to stay awake later at night and sleep until later in
the day. Also, the brain re-sets the body clock during puberty. Children going through puberty
need more sleep than they did just before puberty started.
Sweat:
A new type of sweat gland in the armpit and genital area develops during puberty. Skin bacteria
feed on the sweat this gland produces, which can lead to body odour. Hygiene is important.
Skin and hair:
Glands in the skin on the face, shoulders and back start to become more active during puberty,
producing more oil. This can lead to skin conditions like acne. If you’re concerned about your
child’s skin, first check whether the pimples or acne are worrying your child too. If they are,
consider speaking with your GP.
Your child might find her hair gets oilier, and she needs to wash it more. This is normal.
Teeth:
Children will get their second molars at around 13 years. Third molars – ‘wisdom teeth’ – might
appear between 14 and 25 years. These teeth can appear in singles, pairs, as a full set of four
wisdom teeth – or not at all. Healthy teeth and gums are vital to your teenage child’s health,
so teenage dental care is important.

Puberty and children with additional needs:
Children with additional needs are likely to go through the physical changes of puberty in the
same way as other children.
Some children might have delayed physical development because of chronic health problems,
which might cause a delay in the onset of puberty. How your child manages puberty emotionally
might also be affected by additional needs

Dietary Requirement:
Calories are the measurement used to express the energy delivered by food. The body demands
more calories during early adolescence than at any other time of life.

• Boys require an average of 2,800 calories per day.
•  Girls require an average of 2,200 calories per day.

Nutrients:
The nutrients protein, carbohydrates, and fats in food serve as the body energy.
Protein:
Protein 15-20 % because adolescents in this age twice as much protein as they need.
Carbohydrates:
Complex carbohydrates make up 50% to 60% of a teenager's caloric intake.
Dietary Fat:
Fat should make up no more than 30% of the diet

Dietary fat contains varying proportions of three types:
1.Monounsaturated fat —the healthiest kind; found in olives and olive oil; peanuts,
peanut oil and peanut butter; cashews; walnuts and walnut oil, and canola oil.
2. Polyunsaturated fat —found in corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil,
cottonseed oil, and sesame-seed oil.
3. Saturated fat —is the most cholesterol laden of the three; found in meat and dairy
products like beef, pork, lamb, butter, cheese, cream, egg yolks, coconut oil, and palm
oil.

Vitamins and Minerals:
Adolescence need a variety of nutrients for proper growth and development, but poor dietary
habits prevent many of them from getting them Adolescents tend to most often fall short of their
daily quotas of calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin D,vitamin A ,B complex, vitamin C, E and k.

Vitamin A promotes proper bone growth and tooth development, making it a vital nutrient for all
children and adolescents. Vitamin A is a necessary nutrient for adolescent development. Teen
boys should get 900 micrograms, or 3,000 international units, of vitamin A per day, while teen
girls need 700 micrograms, or 2,333 international units of vitamin A daily.

B vitamins help your body use the amino acids from protein sources. They also help you
metabolize nutrients in carbohydrates and fats. All teens need 25 micrograms of biotin, 400
micrograms of folate, 5 milligrams of pantothenic acid and 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12. Boys
should get 16 micrograms of niacin, 1.3 milligrams of riboflavin, 1.2 milligrams of thiamin and
1.3 milligrams of vitamin B-6, while girls should get 14 micrograms of niacin, 1 milligram each
of riboflavin and thiamin and 1.2 milligrams of vitamin B-6.

Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron, a mineral that facilitates the transportation of oxygen
through your blood stream and helps regulate cell growth. Vitamin C helps to keep your cells
healthy and, as an antioxidant, may protect you from illness.The recommended daily intake is 75
milligrams of vitamin C for teen boys and 65 milligrams for teen girls.

Vitamin D should get 15 micrograms, or 600 IU, of vitamin D each day, to help their bodies
absorb calcium and keep their bones healthy. Milk is generally fortified with vitamin D, but
adding fish to a teen's diet can help her reach the recommended intake.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that may help keep your heart and blood vessels healthy,
according to the National Institutes of Health. Teens of both genders should get 15 milligrams of
vitamin E daily, but their average daily intake is less than half that amount.

Vitamin K helps your blood clot properly, protecting you from excessive blood loss and bleeding
disorders. It also plays an important role in a teen's bone metabolism. Low intake of vitamin K
may cause low bone mineral density, and that vitamin K supplementation appears to make bones
stronger. Teen boys and girls should get 75 micro grams of vitamin K per day.

Dietary Guidelines:

 There are following healthy eating recommendations with your adolescent to ensure he or she is
following a healthy eating plan:

1.  Eat three meals a day, with healthy snacks.
2.  Increase fiber in the diet and decrease the use of salt.
3.  Drink water. Try to avoid drinks that are high in sugar. Whole fruit is always a better choice. 
4.  Eat balanced meals.
5.  When cooking for your adolescent, try to bake or boil instead of fry.
6.  Make sure your adolescent watches (and decreases, if necessary) his or her sugar intake.
7.  Eat fruit or vegetables for a snack.
8.  Decrease the use of butter, processed foods  and heavy gravies.
9.  Eat more chicken and fish. Moderate amount of red meat intake, and choose lean cuts when possible.