Nutrition in Children and Adolescents (III)
5. What are the most important aspects in nutrition for teens?
The nutritional needs of young people are influenced by the acceleration of growth that occurs at puberty. The peak of growth is usually between 11 and 15 years for girls and between 13 and 16 for boys.
The nutrients that teenagers need depends largely on each person and food intake can vary greatly from day to day, so they can under-or over-eating one day and make up the next day. In this time of life, there is a risk of suffering deficiencies of some nutrients such as iron and calcium.
5.1. Iron
One of the diseases related to diet deficiency is more common among adolescents is iron deficiency anemia.
Teenagers are especially susceptible to suffer from iron deficiency anemia because their blood volume and muscle mass increases during growth and development. This increases the need for iron to make hemoglobin, the red pigment in blood that carries oxygen and myoglobin, a protein found in muscles.
The increase in lean body mass (LBM), composed mainly of muscle, is more pronounced in adolescent boys than in girls. Before adolescence, lean mass is more or less the same in both sexes. However, when adolescence begins, the boy undergoes a more rapid accumulation of LBM for each kilogram of weight gain during growth, and finally the maximum value of fat mass becomes twice that of a girl. Other factors that influence the iron needs are greater weight gain and the onset of menstruation in girls. All these factors should be taken into account when assessing iron needs in this age group.
One of the most important issues to consider during adolescence is the need to increase consumption of foods rich in iron such as lean meats and fish, and beans, green vegetables, nuts and iron-fortified cereals. Iron from food of animal origin (known as haem iron) is much better absorbed than iron from non-animal foods (heme iron). Adolescents who follow vegetarian diets are therefore more at risk of iron deficiency. However, vitamin C (citrus fruits) and animal proteins (meat and fish) favor the non-heme iron absorption.
5.2. Calcium
99% of body calcium stores are concentrated in the bones and the acceleration of growth during adolescence, bone weight gain is faster. Around 45% of adult bone mass is formed during adolescence, but continues to grow later, until about thirty years. All the calcium needed for bone growth must come from the diet. The largest increases are in early adolescence, between 10-14 years in girls and 12-16 in boys.
During the growth spurt of adolescence, the average calcium retention in females is 200mg and 300 mg / day in boys. Calcium absorption is approximately 30%, so it is important that the diet supply the appropriate amount for the densest bones possible. It is important to achieve a peak bone mass during childhood and adolescence to reduce the risk of osteoporosis later. If you eat several servings of dairy foods such as milk, yogurt and cheese get the recommended calcium intake.
Besides a good supply of calcium that comes from the diet to strengthen bones need other vitamins or minerals, like vitamin D and phosphorus. Physical activity is also essential, especially exercises that is loaded with body weight and to encourage the strengthening and preservation of the bones. It can strengthen bone mass if there are activities such as cycling, gymnastics, skating, ball games, dancing and supervised weight training exercises for at least 30-60 minutes a day, three to five times a week. If young people adopt a lifestyle and diet from the outset, more readily develop healthy behaviors that may continue for the rest of his life. To learn more about exercise.
Source: www.eufic.org/article/es/page/BARCHIVE/expid/basics-nutricion-ninos-adolescentes/
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