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178 6.2 Nutrition for Adolescents

Table 6.2.3 Percentage of 11- to 18-year-old low-fat products and artificially sweetened
boys and girls eating less than the LRNI for drinks, perhaps due to a desire to control body
certain nutrients weight.

Percentage eating less then the ●● Young people living in Scotland consumed
LRNI more high-fat foods and less fruit and vegetables
than those in the south of England. This impacts
Nutrient Boys Girls nutritionally and children in Scotland had lower
Vitamin A intakes of fibre, retinol equivalents and
Riboflavin 12 13 ribof lavin.
Folate
Iron 8 17 ●● Those from the least affluent groups had lower
Calcium intakes of energy, fat and most vitamins and
Magnesium 25 minerals. A greater proportion of their daily
Potassium energy intake came from snacks of low nutrient
Zinc 5 43 density.
Selenium
Iodine 8 14 Nutritional status of adolescents

27 50 Blood analyses from the 1997 NDNS revealed that:

16 31 ●● 13 per cent of boys and 27 per cent of girls had
low serum ferritin levels, indicative of low iron
11 18 stores

22 47 ●● vitamin C, folate, riboflavin and thiamin blood
levels were all low, particularly in young people
7 17 in Scotland and northern England

From Department of Health (2011). ●● 8 per cent of boys and 11.5 per cent of girls had a
LRNI, Lower Reference Nutrient Intake. plasma cholesterol concentration above
5.2 mmol/L
●● Intake of milk-based foods was inadequate from
the age of 11 years, with few drinking milk. ●● use of salt at the table was associated with
increased systolic blood pressure
●● High rates of dieting among teenage girls were
noted. In the 1997 NDNS 16 per cent of girls ●● 10–25 per cent had low vitamin D plasma levels
aged 15–18 years old were dieting to lose depending on the time of year measurements
weight. were made. This may reflect less time spent
outside in the summer months.
●● Ten per cent of 15- to 18-year-old girls said they
were vegetarian in the same survey. Suitable Further Causes of Malnutrition
high-iron alternatives to meat and fish such as
nuts and pulses are often not included in the Obesity
teenage vegetarian’s diet.
This is discussed in Chapter 7.2.
●● Breakfast is often not eaten which reduces
nutrient intakes. A survey in 2005 found that 12 Vegetarianism
per cent of children aged 15–16 years did not eat
anything before school (Sodexho 2005). Most dietary regimens are short lived but
vegetarianism may be one way of sustaining a
●● Older boys have better nutrient intakes than reduced energy intake. For some, dieting and
girls as they eat larger quantities of food, vegetarianism are intertwined. In a US study
including more biscuits, meat, fortified
breakfast cereals, baked beans and potatoes.

Population differences in the dietary
intakes of adolescents

●● Boys appear to prefer meat and dairy products,
while girls were more likely to favour fruit,