Eating a balanced diet is extremely important for teenagers. As a teenager, your body is still growing, and you need healthy food to ensure that you grow properly. But a balanced diet is more than a way to grow. It provides energy to keep you going and nutrients to help prevent disease now and in the future.
Balanced
Eating a balanced diet means eating a variety of foods, so that they balance each other out. For most teens, that means you need to eat more vegetables, fruit and milk, and less fast food. According to a study published in the "International Journal of Obesity and Related Medical Disorders," when you eat more fast food, you eat fewer fruits, vegetables and milk. That does not give you the balance or nutrients you need.
Academics
Eating a balanced diet affects how you do in school. According to research published in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association," eating a healthy breakfast can increase your ability to think and focus, leading to better grades. A study published in the "Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine" found that not eating a balanced diet can permanently impair your intelligence.
Present Health
Your body needs the nutrients provided by a balanced diet in order to keep you healthy. Your immune system can protect you from getting sick, but you need to get enough nutrients from balanced meals in order for it to work properly. A balanced diet also helps you have energy throughout your day, so that you can feel healthy.
Future Health
Eating a balanced diet now can also help you when you're older. Damage to your body can build up over time and contribute to diseases like cancer and heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control, eating lots of fruits and vegetables as part of a balanced diet can decrease your risk for getting these diseases. By choosing to eat healthy foods now, you can have plenty of antioxidants and phytochemicals in your body to help prevent disease later.
Considerations
Eating a balanced diet is very important for you as a teenager, both now and as you grow into an adult. You don't have to give up the foods you like, but you should make sure you balance any "unhealthy" foods with fruits, vegetables, milk and other healthy foods. Finding a balance in your diet is good for you physically and mentally.
References
- "International Journal of Obesity and Related Medical Disorders"; Fast Food Restaurant Use Among Adolescents: Associations With Nutrient Intake, Food Choices and Behavioral and Psychosocial Variables; SA French; December 2001
- "Journal of The American Dietetic Association"; Breakfast Habits, Nutritional Status, Body Weight, and Academic Performance in Children and AdolescentsGC Rampersaud; May 2005
- "Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine"; The Relationship of School Breakfast to Psychosocial and Academic Functioning; JM Murphy; July 1998
- CDC: Fruit and Vegetable Benefits
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