1. Food & Nutrition through the Lifespan
Adolescent Nutrition
By: Helen Hawver
For CTAE-Resource Network, FY11 Instructional Resources Project

2. FCS-FNL-6. Students will explain the nutritional requirements of the adolescence diet.
a. Identify changes in body composition as a result of growth and development and explain the cause of increased nutritional risk for individuals in this age group.
b. Demonstrate an awareness of fluids, hydration, carbohydrates, and supplements on physical activity.
c. Explain the causes of obesity and evaluate popular weight loss diets within the context of an adequate and balanced diet.
d. Distinguish between eating disorders, predict the outcomes, and identify the at-risk individuals.

3. Changes in Body Composition
Gains in body mass
Increase in calories due to growth (usually seen in boys)
Boys seem to develop more lean muscle mass than girls do
Increase in bone mass, blood volume
Girls grow around 3 inches a year and boys grown around 4 inches a year
Puberty changes

4. Nutritional Risk Iron Prevents anemia (especially in females)
Teen females need about15 mg / day
Teen males need about 12 mg /day
Females need more due to menstruation
Sources include meat, poultry, fish, cereal, beans, leafy greens and green vegetables.
Vitamin C sources such as fruits help absorb Iron
Caffeine blocks absorption

5. Nutritional Risk cont. Calcium Builds bone and prevents osteoporosis
Teens need about 1300 mg a day (Three 8 oz glasses)
Sources include milk, cheese, yogurt (most dairy products)
Caffeine will block absorption

6. Nutritional Risk cont.
Teens are more likely to consume junk food because of
Busy schedules
Availability of snack machines in schools
Choosing not to eat lunchroom food/ too lazy to make lunch
Peer influence on food choices
Underexposure to healthier foods
Poor home food habits

7. Nutritional Risk cont. Dangers of Junk Food
High sugar levels (especially in soda drinks)
High sodium levels
Processed food products
High preservative content
Caffeine levels
Junk food often replaces a meal

8. Tips for Teens on Eating Well
Breakfast ideas:
Leftover pizza
Baggie full of cereal (NOT sugar cereal)
Grapes, cheese and crackers
Bagel or English Muffin with jelly or peanut butter instead of butter

9. Tips for Teens on Eating Well cont.
Great snack ideas:
Fruit
Graham crackers or vanilla wafers
Grapes, cheese and crackers
Salad Bar
Apple and peanut butter
Celery/carrot sticks with dips or peanut butter
Pretzels or plain popcorn
Peanuts

10. Teen Athletes
Muscle is built by exercise not by eating extra protein or taking supplements
Supplements should be used with caution
These supplements work only with EXERCISE

11. Teen Athletes cont. Common supplements include: Caffeine (Ephedra)
Basically burns fat (increases metabolism) and does not cause you to be tired
Side effects include heart palpitations, inability for the body to properly cool itself, nervousness, irritability, dehydration , diarrhea, possible death
Creatine
Increases muscle fullness and body mass
Side effects include dehydration due to muscles retaining water
Protein
There are two types: whey and egg
Whey includes all the essential amino acids
Side effects include excessive gas and bloating due to improper digestion

12. Teen Athletes cont,
Nutrient-dense foods are required because of high energy output.
An apple is nutrient dense, not a candy bar
Meals should be eaten 3-5 hours before an athletic event
While carbohydrates give you energy, be aware that you do not want to feel to “full”

13. Teen Athletes cont.
Water is essential and should be consumed before, during and after physical activity
2 cups of water is recommended for every pound lost during a workout.
Electrolyte drinks should be consumed after physical activity, not during because your body will need replacements
Electrolytes such as potassium and sodium are electrically charged ions that are important to body functions

14. Teen Athletes cont. Steroids
Artificially (anabolic steroids) produced hormones that stimulate muscle tissue to grow
See website for more information:

15. Other Exercise Tips
Just because you sweat during exercise does not mean you are “burning more calories.”
Sweating is just your body’s way of cooling down…it’s your own personal air conditioner.
Do not wear plastic suits that cause you to sweat more…these are dangerous because your body can’t cool itself and/or breathe.
There is no true “good time” to exercise.
You have to find a time that is good for you and works with your schedule.
It is recommended to exercise for 30 minutes a day.
Even if you park far away from the store, the point is to get up and move!

16. Obesity and Dieting
Obesity in adolescence is often a result of childhood obesity (overfeeding during infancy and childhood).
Poor self esteem/concept excludes an adolescent from a social life
Dependence on fast food and SODA!
Losing weight as an adolescence is more difficult than in childhood because adolescence have more control over what they eat and they have to make the decision to lose weight themselves

17. Obesity and Dieting cont.
Many adolescence turn to dieting as a way to fight obesity.
This can become dangerous because many adolescence see smoking as a quick way to drop a few pounds since it is an appetite suppressant
Teens also turn to drugs such as pot and cocaine because of their relation to weight loss

18. Popular Weight Loss Diets
Read the information on the diet
Explain
What the diet entails
Advantages
Disadvantages
Answer
Would you recommend this diet to an adolescent? A middle aged person?
Why or why not
What do you think are some dangers of this diet?
What are the restraints of this diet (example: cost, time)?

19. Eating Disorders Anorexia Nervosa
Ignores feelings of hunger and eats very little or refuses to eat
These people see themselves as overweight even when they are dangerously underweight
Basically a person voluntarily starves themselves
Warning signs
Intense fear of gaining weight
Will not eat in front of others
Hair loss
Denial of hunger
Absent or irregular menstrual periods
Perfectionist
Depressed/Lonely/Anxious/Empty/Hopeless
Reads food labels constantly

20. Eating Disorders cont. Bulimia Nervosa
Repeated episodes of binging (eating a large amount of food at one time), and then purges (vomits) or takes laxatives to prevent the food from causing weight gain
May also exercise excessively
Often “look” a normal weight, but inside they have eroded their esophagus, worn away the enamel on their teeth, caused stomach ulcers, caused intestinal problems, and have starved their bodies of proper nutrition

21. Eating Disorders cont. Warning Signs of Bulimia
Worried about body weight
Excessive food consumption
Frequent trips to the bathroom after eating
Blood shot eyes
Sore throat
Dental problems (tooth enamel wears away)
Exercises excessively
Irregular menstrual periods
Depression and/or mood swings

22. Eating Disorders cont. Binge Eating Warning Signs
Binges, but does not purge or exercise
May be overweight or “seesaw” between weights
Warning Signs
Hides away to eat
Stashed wrappers/hidden food
Seems to eat average amount and then not interested in food
Late night eaters
Often relates food to “having a bad day” or to “feeling better”

23. Eating Disorders cont.
In paragraph form, write the answers to the following:
What are the outcomes?
Anorexia
Bulimia
Binge Eating
Who is at risk?
Outcomes:
A: stress on heart, immune system, bones, ulcers B: poor teeth, esophagus damage, intestinal issues Binge: Stomach issues, intestinal issues
All: possible brain damage, heart failure
RISK:
Low self esteem, poor body image, constantly told they are ugly, fat, etc, wealthy children who seem to “have it all” , children who are overly stressed/involved in too much, no parental control…permissive parents, OR authoritarian parents with too much control.