With school, after-school activities and family obligations, a teenager’s life may be hectic, and choosing the right nutritional foods is not always easy. For many, breakfast is skipped and fast food or vending machines may play a large role in their daily diet. Because teenagers are still growing, proper nutrition is essential, and making the right choices is something that needs to be learned.
Calories
Because teens are still growing and most are living an active lifestyle, they have higher caloric requirements than adults. According to the Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine, girls between the ages of 14 and 18 should be eating on average 2,000 calories per day and boys of the same age should be eating between 2,200 and 2,400 calories. It is important that these calories come from a healthy balance of fruits, vegetables, proteins and whole grains. Following a balanced healthy diet within these calorie limits and maintaining an active lifestyle are essential in avoiding obesity. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 16 to 33 percent of children and teens are obese, and poor eating habits contribute to these numbers.
Protein
Protein is essential to help your body build and repair tissue and help to maintain your energy levels. According to the Weight-Control Information Network, or WIN, teenagers should be eating on average five 1-ounce servings of protein-rich foods a day, which can include lean meat, chicken, fish, beans, eggs, nuts and peanut butter. Teenage boys should be consuming 52 grams of protein per day, and teenage girls should be consuming 46 grams.
Calcium
Many teens do not get the recommended calcium in their diets, and this can lead to weak bones and improper growth. American teens’ high consumption of soda and caffeine and reduced consumption of calcium-rich milk plays a role. As a teenager, you should be consuming 1,200 milligrams per day of calcium, and this can be acquired through milk, cheese, yogurt and leafy green vegetables like spinach. In a 2006 article from the Associated Press, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that most American children over the age of 8 do not receive enough calcium in their diet, and this is leading to an increased risk in bone fractures among U.S. teenagers.
Iron
Iron is a mineral that is responsible for making blood cells in your body. A deficiency in iron can cause anemia in which the number of red blood cells in your body is decreased. Symptoms of anemia can include decreased appetite, fatigue, headache and irritability. According to Keep Kids Healthy, 9 to 16 percent of adolescent and adult females between the ages of 12 and 49 are iron deficient. With teenage girls starting their menstrual cycles, the increased loss of blood, especially with heavy periods, increases the need for iron in your diet. According to the Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board, teenage girls should consume 15 milligrams of iron per day and boys should consume 11 milligrams. Iron-rich foods include poultry, liver, beef, fish, beans, dark leafy greens like spinach and foods fortified with iron such as breads and cereals.
References
- Baylor College of Medicine; How do the daily values found on food labels compare to the nutritional recommendations for children?; September 2004
- Help Guide; Nutrition for Children and Teens; Maya W. Paul and Lawrence Robinson; February 2011
- Weight-Control Information Network; Take Charge of Your Health; August 2009
- MSNBC; Many Children Not Getting Enough Calcium; Associated Press; February 2006
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; Obesity in Children and Teens; May 2008
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Iron
- Keep Kids Healthy: Preventing Iron Deficiency Anemia
- MedlinePlus; Iron Deficiency Anemia -- Children; March 2010
