Teenager's Diet - Know About It!

Adolescence is a significant stage of growth and development. Therefore, it is important to consume a balanced and healthy diet during this crucial stage of growth. There are nearly 1.8 billion adolescents in the world, and most of them living in low and middle-income countries suffer from malnutrition.

Consequences of Malnutrition in Adolescents:

Undernutrition among adolescents may lead to the following damaging effects.

• Sarcopenia – It signifies the abnormal loss of body mass in the later stages of life especially after 40 years. In women, the rate of reduction in body mass is even more rapid. It makes the person susceptible to fatal infections.

• Cachexia – Also known as wasting syndrome, in this case of malnutrition the patient loses a significant amount of body mass and suffers from muscle atrophy, weakness, appetite loss, fatigue etc. There remains a high risk of ulcers, blood clots and loss of motor coordination.

• Organ Failure – Absence of essential nutrition may lead to organ failure in the kidneys, brain, reduced fertility, respiratory failure.

Nutrients to be included in the diet of Adolescents:

Adolescents need sufficient calories to keep up with the pace of development that their body goes through. Following are the important nutrients that should be consumed by them in a healthy form.

• Carbohydrates (45%-65%) in the form of whole grains, fruits and vegetables
• Protein (15%-25%) in the form of eggs, lean meat, poultry, soy, seafood
• Fat (25%-35%) in the form of fatty fish, vegetable oils
• Essential minerals like Calcium, Zinc, and Folate in the form of lentils, yoghurt, fish and meat
• Vitamins A, D, and E in the form of cheese, egg yolk, spinach

How to make your adolescent child eat healthily?

It can be a difficult task to convince your teenage child to eat a healthy meal. However, you can try out the following methods to include nutrition in your child’s regular diet.

• Ask teens to help you plan the grocery shopping. Consider their opinions and explain the harmful consequences of processed food.
• Make them conscious regarding the need to maintain a healthy weight, as they are often concerned about their body image. Explain the negatives of a crash diet.
• Treat them to their favourite fruits and vegetables now and then. Incorporate fun recipes like fruit salad in their daily meals.
• Keep handy healthy snacks like granola bars and canned fruits to satisfy their sudden hunger pangs.
• Do not exclude processed foods totally from their diet. Allow them to indulge in their favourite junk food occasionally.

With a balanced and healthy diet, you can aid in the all-round development of your adolescent child. If your child is suffering from under nutrition-related issues, it is essential to consult a dietician for further advice.