Nutrition For Teenagers

  NUTRITION DURING TEENAGERS   

• The important of nutrition for teenagers

Nutrition is very important for all people especially during teenagers because from this level, many type of nutrients needed to bone development and others. The teenagers should intake enough nutrients to maintain the healthy body. This is because to avoid any chronic disease when they become adult and elderly. So, from the teenagers’ age should eat enough calories and nutrient intake to built strong immune body.

Figure 3.1(a) and 3.1(b) compare the EER and RDA for protein for teenagers. Energy requirement vary greatly depending on gender, body composition, level of physical activity, and current rate of growth. The individual which is at the faster rate are needed the highest level of nutrients and also kilocalories. Males generally have higher energy requirements than females due to their larger proportion of lean body mass to adipose tissue.

But individual growth spurts also must be considered. For example, a rapidly-growing athletic 15-year-old boy may need 4,000 calories a day just to maintain his weight. However, an inactive girl the same age, whose growth is nearly completed, may need fewer than 2,000 calories to avoid weight gain. How many calories do the teenagers need will be see in the Figure 3.1(c).

Commonly, the male teenagers now need more calories, protein, magnesium and zinc which are for muscle and bone development compare than female. However, females need increased iron due to the onset of menstruation. The recommended daily allowance for iron is 12 to 15 milligrams (mg) a day. Female teenagers have to pack more nutrients fewer calories. So, it can become difficult if they decrease their food intake to lose their weight. Three problem nutrient for teenagers as well which are vitamin E, potassium and fiber. Figure 4.0 List sources of these problems.

Furthermore, calcium very important for teenagers because half of their peak bones mass built during this time. During this time the capacity to absorb calcium is greatest capacity especially early teenagers. The Adequate Intake for calcium is increase from 800 mg to 1300mg from 9 to 18 years for both male and female. Other than that, calcium is important even for young adults who have completed their linear growth spurt, since the mineral continues to be deposited in their bones for another decade.

Besides that, magnesium intake also very important for teenagers because of that the body can make fat and protein, make bone and maintain a healthy immune system. Magnesium also works together with calcium to contract muscle and transmit nerve impulses. Nowadays, the teenagers should like eating meal based their food choice. They eat meal at home and also away from the home, such as fast-food restaurant and skip more meals.

The teenagers are lack the time discipline to eat right, and want look pretty especially girl teenagers, they skip certain meal and prefer to eat snack. It maybe they think they can lose their weight when skip meal. After school, more teenagers not through go home. They like go shopping complex with their friend to enjoys. So, it helps them to choose ready to eat food such as cookies, chocolate, soft drink, fast food meal and others.

Other than that, the teenagers have more choice to buy their meal because at school also have many type of food choice such as donut, drink from vending machine, snack and others. So, daily meal pattern the teenagers eat more snack and followed the basic daily meal like breakfast, lunch, dinner and others.

The media have powerful on influence the teenagers eating pattern and behaviors. Advertising about not so good food for healthy if intake daily such as fast food which the manufacturer advertising from television, radio and billboard to attract more people come in especially teenagers and children. As a good parent, they should alert about their son daily meal from home, at school period and others. The parent also can become good model to their son in daily eat healthy food.

Figure 3.1(a) : Energy and Macronutrient for Teenagers
Estimated energy requirement (EER) and recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein
Gender and age	Height (cm)	Weight (kg)	EER* (kcal)	Protein (gram/kg body weight)
Male 9 – 13 years	145	36	2279	0.95
Female 9 – 13 years	145	37	2071	0.95
Male 14 - 18 years	173	61	3152	0.85
Female 14 – 18 years	163	54	2368	0.85
Male 19 years	178	70	3067	0.80
Female years	163	57	2403	0.80

*The EER is for healthy moderately active American and Canadian

Figure 3.1(b) : Acceptable Macronutrient distribution ranges
Age	Carbohydrate	Fat	Protein
4 – 18 years	45 – 65%	25 – 35%	10 – 30%
Over 19 years	45 – 65%	20 – 35%	10 – 35%

Figure 3.1 (c ): How Many Calories Do Teenagers Need?
AGE	MALES			FEMALES
	Activity Level			Activity Level
	Sedentary	Mod. Active	Active	Sedentary	Mod. Active	Active
13	2000	2200	2600	1600	2000	2200
14	2000	2400	2800	1800	2000	2400
15	2200	2600	3000	1800	2000	2400
16	2400	2800	3200	1800	2000	2400
17	2400	2800	3200	1800	2000	2400
18	2400	2800	3200	1800	2000	2400
19	2600	2800	3000	2000	2200	2400
Calorie levels are based on Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) and activity levels from the Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes Macronutrients Report, 2002. Sedentary means less than 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity in addition to daily activities. Active means 60 or more minutes a day of moderate physical activity in addition to daily activities.

 Reference: Drummond, K. E. & Brefere, L. M. (2010).Nutrition for foodservice and culinary professionals. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc.