9 | Nutrition Magazine October 20 1 5
Adolescent
Nutrition
Adolescent is the period of life between
children and adulthood. It is the period of
growth and physical maturation. During this
stage the growth include horizontal and
vertical growth that is change in both height
and weight. Alteration in body composition
and enlargement of organs in evident, they
also develop psychosocially and
intellectually. All these above considerations
have a bearing in health status with regards
specifically to nutrition.
Are t hey are vul nerabl e
nut rit ional l y?
Increased nutritional requirementstremendous growth spur is during this time
and is related to sexual growth rate and
maturity.
Freedom of choices- they always command
space to choose and to be heard. Hence
lead to fad diets or junkies at some time
due to euphoria by peers.
Pregnancy in adolescent- cannot be
The adolescent period is accompanied with ignored due to competition with the also
considerable stress due to physiological and growing fetus for nutrients.
psychological changes, attitude towards diet.
Sports and leisure ? play is part of
Boys may want to eat to be strong, tall and
development and very healthy for exercise
masculine where as girls will omit food to
but not at the expense of eating
remain lean and in perceived good body
something. They sometime forget even to
shape.
eat since they are in a finding out stage.
Therefore boys dietary habits will be
Abuse of drugs- Good parenting is very
receptive where as the girls will have a self
conscious habit in light of their figure, shape, important! The drugs normally leads to
depressed appetite, loss of interest in food
to avoid being tagged as fat by peers.
Complexion, pimples and stretch marks are when high, competing interest when
buying drugs, medicine nutrition
often associated with certain foods items
interaction during treatment and drugs
making them to withdraw from these food
increases metabolic requirement of the
items or even eating all together.
body.