Nutrition Requirements In Adolescence

One of the most crucial part of life is Health, everything is trivial without it. To fulfill all the life experiences health plays an important part. In the fast paced world , it becomes different to manage health. Which in turn our day to day life...... Mindful nutrition thus becomes the necessity. 
In order to achieve placid living one must be cautious about the daily nutrition needs, which varies with ageing..... Adolescence is the most crucial stage of the Human Life , as most of the essential physical, mental, social and chemical development occurs in this time. During this period the adolescent develop  half of his skeletal mass, half of its adult weight and height. So, it is very essential to make a balance diet a priority, as most of the children develop nutrition deficiencies, which can develop several risk factors. During the onset of puberty, a lot of physical and chemical changes occurs in the adolescents which must be tackled and a proper healthy diet must be provided to them. 
 As we grow in life, we welcome in various life experiences, to accomplish them proficiently ,we need to focus on daily nourishment.

Nutrition In Adolescence 

An Adolescent female requires about 2200 cal/day , whereas a male adolescent requires 2500-3000 cal/day. The stage of adolescence is characterized by overall development, development of identity, acquiring skills to carry out adult relationship and roles, development of reasoning and understanding, development of  physical and sexual maturation. This is basically the age of rapid growth and development. So it become really important to keep in mind the nutritional needs during this age, as teens are more prone to nutritional deficiencies which may further lead to chronic deficiency. Eating patterns and behavior is also influence by many factors like food availability, food cost, convenience, parental awareness, peer and parents influence, cultural belief, personal choices etc. So, it is very important to educate and train the adolescents regarding the food choices they should made, and the role of nutrients in their body and the benefits of eating healthy.

  some common factors to keep in mind are........

  • Most of the adolescents in today's world are fond of eating snacks between the meals, which reduces their diet. This also create digestive problems and excessive pain during early mensuration in young girls. 'Junk Food' and high fat 'Fast Food' should be reduced or replaced by vegetables, juices and low fat dairy products. Proper guidance must be provided in order to develop healthy eating habits in them.
  • The assessment of nutritional status must be based on recording  good diet history and also based on the body mass index of the individual. 
  • They must be aware of the consequences of the poor eating habits like delayed maturation, loss of final adult height, osteoporosis and obesity.
  • Poor gut health alterations can lead to poor brain development and illness ,it can also alter puberty in some cases. 
  • Water intake should be managed properly. They must remain hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Do not opt for the carbonated drinks or drinks that have high sugar levels. Instead, switch to fresh fruits and fruit juices. 
  • The untimely sleeping habits, unhealthy eating habits, more stress and mood swings often develop during the transition from adolescents to young adults. By developing timely sleeping habits and conscious eating can be beneficial.
  • Opt for food rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, protein is very important so add chicken, fish , dairy products in your diet. Try to avoid red meat. The diet of adolescent must include more protein and carbohydrates, intake of fats must be reduced. 
  • Many adolescent athletes opt for nutritional supplements, in attempt to improve and perform well. They must not include them without any proper guidance. 
  • Food allergies and Food Intolerance must be checked, as most of them develop, so one must have a proper track of food and its affects. As skin problem is quite common during puberty one must not neglect. Any change in skin or gut problems must be tracked, observed and must not be left unattended. 

     Dietary Recommendations for Adolescents as per ICMR guideline


Daily Dietary Needs for Adolescent 

Cereal and Grains: 

This group makes the major portion of the diet as it is rich in protein, carbohydrates and other essential nutrients. A Teenager or an Adolescent diet must include 280- 315g of cereal and millet as per the  ICMR guidelines. This group includes wheat, oats, rice, corn, barley, sorghum, rye etc. These can be included in the form of multi grain bread, baked snacks, roasted snacks, roti, paratha, cereal, cooked rice, pasta, quinoa, porridge, dosa, cheela, muffin, crumpet, tortillas etc.

Pulses and beans:

These are the rich source of essential nutrients, hence must be included in the diet. Pulses and legumes are rich in minerals, vitamin, protein, carbohydrates, and other essential nutrients which makes them and important portion of the diet. 90- 105 gm of pulses must be included in children from 10-18 years of age. These can be consumed in the form of roasted snacks, salad, curry, with rice, snacks, soups etc.

Fish, Meat and Eggs:

Fish, meat and eggs are the rich source of vitamin B complex, Protein, carbohydrates, calcium and other essential vitamins and minerals and must be included in the daily diet. In non vegetarians the pulses can be replaced by meat and fishes in the same proportion. Fishes are rich source of essential fatty acids like omega-3, omega-9 etc. Eggs are rich in essential amino acids like albumin etc. Fishes are the best source of animal protein. Try include white meat or lean meat in the diet. Though red meat also have good nutrient content but it can not be suitable for people suffering from arthritis, cancer or hypertension. These can be consumed in the form of fried, roasted, curry, with rice, salad , boiled etc. 

Green Leafy Vegetables:

GLVs are the rich sources of vitamins and minerals. 100g of GLVs must be included in the daily diet of a teenager or an adolescent. These are mostly ignored in our day to day life. Due to their availability, short shelf life and less flavor, these are not much popular among adolescents. And some times it become difficult to make them eat. These can be included in their diet in the form of Salads, parathas, curries, pastas, pokodas, cheelas etc.        

Vegetables Roots and Tubers:

The adolescent diet must include 300 g of vegetables, out of which 100 g of root and tubers and 200 g of other vegetables. Teens are more choosy in their food. It is a great task to make them gulp veggies. So, it become very important to educate them about the benefits of healthy eating. Vegetables are the brilliant source of vitamins, minerals and fibers, which can be lost while cooking. So mindful cooking is also needed. Different color and varieties  of vegetables should be added to the daily meal. Vegetables can be consumed raw, in the form of curries, pakodas, parathas, salads, cheelas etc. 

Fruits:

A variety of fruits must be included in the diet. Seasonal fruits should be consumed. The daily ditemust contain 100-150 gm fruits in a day. they are the rich source of essential nutrients.They can be consumed raw or in the form of salad, shakes, juices etc. 

Nuts And Seeds:

Nuts are well known for their high nutrition value. In addition, they are also rich in essential fatty acids like omega -3 and omega-6. In a daily diet of teens and adolescents 30 - 50 gm of nuts must be included. Nuts like almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, cashew, resins, etc must be included in the daily diet. They can be consumed raw, soaked, in the form of hareera, dessert, etc.

Dairy Products:

These are rich source of calcium, magnesium, protein, and other essential nutrients. It is very essential to include them in daily diet, 400 ml of them must be consumed in order to in part healthy living. They can be in the form of milk, curd, buttermilk, lassi etc.

Fats and Oils:

Though required in small amount, it must be included in the diet. Hydrogenated fats (trans fat) must be avoided as much as possible. Try to focus on the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids like olive oil, fish oil, peanut butter, Canola oil, coconut oil. It can also be included in the form of nuts and seeds, fatty fish, vegetable oil, avocado, olive, peanut butter etc. 











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