The typical teenager diet varies culturally and may not necessarily be altogether unhealthy. However, generally there is room for improvement in what teenagers eat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says many teenagers do not eat enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy products; they consume too many sugary drinks and too much saturated fat.
Daily Nutrition
Teenagers are going through many changes. They are experiencing great physical, emotional, social and psychological development and need good nutrition to help them be their best. Examine your teenager's diet. She should be getting at least two cups of fruit, 2 ½ cups of vegetables, 3 cups of milk, 5 oz. of meat or beans and 6 oz. of grains every day. She'll need more food if she is an athlete or a very active teenager.
Recommendations
Teach your teen to read nutrition labels if he doesn't know how to do so already. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends limiting his "screen" time -- watching television, playing video games and surfing the web -- to no more than two hours. Make calorie-rich foods a treat by limiting them. Replace high-fat and high-sugar, or salty snacks with 100-calorie, low-fat and easy-to-prepare foods such as a medium-size apple or banana and 1 cup of grapes or carrots. In addition to diet recommendations, your teenager should get at least 60 minutes of exercise a day.
Managing Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a serious issue in overweight teenagers. If not managed very well, diabetes can lead to health problems in adulthood, such as cardiovascular disease and kidney failure. Teens with diabetes do not need a special diet if they are eating mostly healthy foods -- a good balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat. A small serving of candy, cookies and desserts is OK after a meal, but not every day. Only eat these foods if your blood glucose is within a normal range. Avoid regular soda, sweetened fruit drinks and sports drinks that are high in sugar.
Warning
Teenagers should never go on extremely low-calorie diets. Their growing bodies need extra calories from every food group. Some teens experience bodily changes and may think they are overweight. This is normal -- height or vertical changes often occur after weight or horizontal changes. Very active and underweight teens need additional calories and should eat from every food group.
Member Comments