Simple Healthy Eating Plan For Teenagers

Though adequate nutrition is important at any age, meeting nutritional needs during adolescence is particularly important for supporting growth and establishing a healthy long-term relationship with food. A healthy diet during adolescence enables teenagers to use their budding independence as a way to make good food choices for their long-term benefit. Consult with your teen's doctor about any radical diet changes in order to avoid potential physiological or psychological problems.

Significance

Nutrition during adolescence has long-term implications for overall wellness. During adolescence, teens build as much as 40 percent of their peak bone mass through calcium intake according to a 1994 study published in the "Journal of Clinical Investigation." If bone density is not established with a high-calcium diet during adolescence, teens increase their risk of developing osteoporosis in their adult years according to a 1999 study published in the "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism." Another growing concern for adolescent nutrition is the increasing rate of adolescent obesity. The 2002 report from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicates that 15 percent of adolescents are classified as overweight and that the trend is expected to continue to rise. Obesity causes health problems like cardiovascular disease and stroke that kill more Americans each year than AIDS, cancer and accidents combined according to the American Medical Association.

Benefits

Providing adequate nutrition is essential for supporting the significant growth and physical development that occurs during adolescence. In addition to the physical health benefits of a simple and healthy eating plan, adolescents also reap social and personal benefits from a healthy diet. Georgetown University's Bright Futures nutrition programs reports that adolescent food behaviors are related to other adolescent behaviors that establish social relationships or individual identity. If your teen develops healthy eating habits, he will likely have a healthy self-image that develops confidence and self-esteem. A 2009 study published in the "Journal of Nutrition," found that eating habits established during adolescence were likely to persist five years after the initial formation; establishing healthy eating habits early on increases the likelihood that these habits will continue unto adulthood.

Features

Like most healthy diet plans, a nutritious eating plan for teenagers focuses on increasing the amount of calories ingested from healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains while reducing the amount of calories ingested from refined foods, fats, oils and sugar. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, teens should ingest 50 to 60 percent of their daily calories from complex carbohydrates found in whole grain products like whole grain breads and cereals. Healthy fats founds in nuts seeds and fish should make up 20 percent of daily calories, while other types of fats found in meats and dairy products should make up only 10 percent of daily caloric intake. Because teenagers rarely receive the recommended amount of calcium, iron and zinc, choose leafy green vegetables, low amounts of red meat, sunflower seeds and low-fat dairy products as snacks and side dishes for well-rounded meals.

Meal Ideas

Help teenagers make their own healthy choices by asking them to participate in weekly menu planning and meal preparation. Create a quick and nutritious breakfast by mixing 1/2 cup egg substitute or 1 egg plus 1 egg white in a mug with a handful of spinach; microwave the mug for about 90 seconds for a quick breakfast scramble. Include a hearty portion of whole wheat pasta salad with a low-fat dressing into a lunch; a side of rolled deli turkey, a piece of fruit and a 1 oz. serving of dark chocolate offers a complete meal. At dinner, be sure to represent the main food groups in equal portions. One third of the meal should be made up of a lean protein like chicken; another third should be represented by a vegetable like peas and the last third should be a complex carbohydrate like brown rice. Encourage snacking on low-fat cheese strings or yogurt throughout the day; for more energy, include a handful of almonds and dried cranberries.

Considerations

Adolescents may find it particularly difficult to develop healthy eating habits for several reasons. Teenagers are usually not experienced at preparing their own meals and may rely on easy, processed foods that are high in sodium, fat and calories as their main source of food. If your teen is involved in school activities, she may not have time to create weekly well-balanced meals for himself. Though obesity is a growing teenage problem, so too are eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, as many as 10 in 100 young women develop an eating disorder. If you suspect your teen suffers from a problem of either overeating or under-eating, speak to her doctor about additional resources.