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6.2
Nutrition for Adolescents
Summary
●● A●d olesScuemntms taarkyeBmulolerteedcoLnisttrol over their food ●● Appetite and energy intake increase during the
choices than younger children. pubertal growth spurt.
●● They conform increasingly to peer pressure and ●● Psychological changes and emotional
less to their parents’ role modelling. difficulties at this age can lead to eating
disorders.
●● Nutritional intakes and status are poorer than
in younger children. ●● Committed physical training for sport requires
an individual plan to cover energy needs for
●● A diet high in fast food, sugar and soft growth and training, competition and recovery
drinks and low in milk and milk products, fruit afterwards.
and vegetables is mainly responsible for the
nutrient deficiencies common in this age ●● Pregnancy is usually unplanned and increases
group. nutrient requirements.
Adolescence is a period of transition between greater rate than boys, laying down stores in the
childhood and adulthood, and involves both breast and hip regions. Fat deposition in boys tends
physical and emotional change, along with to be more central.
increasing independence and making more
personal choices. The food choices of adolescents The age at which the growth spurt begins varies
impact on their nutritional intake and status. enormously as it is influenced by genetics, gender,
ethnicity and body weight.
Physical Development
In girls, it begins at the commencement of
Sexual development occurs during adolescence puberty, at the time breast development begins,
and the onset of the sexual characteristics of with the greatest height increase in the year
puberty is a better marker of the stage of preceding menarche. On average, girls grow a
adolescence – and thus nutritional requirements – further 6 cm in height after menarche which occurs
than age. around 13 years of age. The age range for menarche
is 10–16.5 years, with tall, heavy girls tending to
The pubertal growth spurt, as described in begin menstruation earlier than their smaller,
Chapter 2.1, occurs over about 3 years and is a leaner classmates. Vigorous exercise, such as
period of rapid growth in height which occurs as a athletics, can delay menarche because of both the
result of the synergistic effects of sex hormones and physiological effects of training and the depletion
growth hormone. Adipose tissue stores also of body fat.
increase, with girls depositing adipose tissue at a
Boys start their growth spurt on average two
years later than girls and will be the shorter of the
