Nutrition for Young People

Childhood and adolescence are times of rapid growth and development. Unfortunately most surveys show that many young people follow a diet that lacks proper nutrition. Below are some suggestions on how you can beat this trend and ensure your children get proper nutrition.

Vitamin Deficiency
Iron deficiency is especially common in adolescent boys and girls. Maintaining a high level of iron in your blood is crucial in fending off diseases. Encourage early introduction of iron-rich foods (especially haem iron)

Lack of calcium intake is another area of concern. At this age bones are still developing, so calcium shortage could lead to brittle bones later in life. Increasing calcium is easy, and painless, all you have to do is drink a few glasses of milk a day.

Should Children Eat Low Fat Foods?
These days most people are preoccupied with eating low fat foods. However, a low fat diet can be problematic for young people. There is a controversy over whether or not young kids should follow a low fat diet. Some experts believe that this sort of diet can result in stunted growth. While others believe that it will reduce obesity.

Healthy messages directed at adults are not meant to apply to young children. Children have higher energy needs and foods rich in fat provide an important source of condensed fuel. Plus they will burn it off much faster.

Also some fats are important to adolescent children. While saturated fat should be cut back on, other types found in fish, nuts, seeds, help provide good vision and clearer skin.


So How Should Young People Eat?
It is difficult to monitor everything that your child eats, but these few foods should not be avoided.

Five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables per day
Two to three servings of fish per week
Complex carbohydrates (cereals, wholewheat pasta, and brown rice)
Food quality and freshness are also important. For instance, orange juice left open in the fridge will lose most of its vitamin C content after 3 days. To avoid this, try taking daily vitamin or mineral supplements.