NUTRITIONAL

NEEDS OF
ADOLESCENTS
1. False – Lower –Increased
2. False – Compulsive eating – self imposed starvation
3. True
4. True
5. False – Once a week – daily
6. True
7. True
8. False – Unhealthy – healthy
9. True
10.True
1. D. Accompany her to a health care provider
2. D. Eat dark green leafy vegetables
3. B. Potassium
4. A. They need to achieve full growth potential
5. C. Sinigang, rice, pinakbet, and ripe banana
6. C. Iron deficiency anemia
7. B. 3 servings
8. A. 1 piece
9. B. fibers from fruits and vegetables
10.C. Increase consumption of fatty foods
–The growth spurt during adolescence creates
increased demand for energy and nutrients. As
an adolescent, your total nutrient needs are
higher at this stage than at any other stage in
your lifecycle. It only shows that nutrition and
physical growth are essentially related; optimal
nutrition is a requisite for achieving your full
growth potential.
–Due to your rapid growth and development at
this stage, you have a greater need for certain
nutrients, such as calcium, iron, protein, and
energy foods. As appetite is also likely to
increase, it is important that foods choices are
made carefully.
–Good dietary guidance has three important
elements: pyramids, plates, and real food.
 Food Guide Pyramid for 13 to 19 Age
Group
– The Food Guide Pyramid emphasized the importance of eating a balanced,
varied diet by depicting five main food groups: grains, fruits, vegetables,
dairy products, and other proteins, including meat, fish, beans, nuts, and
eggs. It is a perfect tool for depicting total diet at a glance. Done right – with
colorful, enticing images of real foods – food pyramids show examples of
what to eat and the right proportion and recommended servings per day of
each food group. Pyramids show the combination of all our meals over days
or weeks, not just one plate, demonstrating a clear, long-term path to better
health and the ideas that it’s healthy to eat a variety of foods daily rather
than to get most of your calories from just one or two of the groups.
– The tip of the food guide pyramid depicted fats, oils, and
sweets and recommended limiting them to 100 to 300 of your
total daily calories, although some fats, such as olive oil, have
proven benefits for cardiovascular health. Understanding and
interpreting the pyramid is easy. The foods near the bottom of
the pyramid were the group of foods that should be eaten and
but taken in large amount and those that are at the top which
is also the smallest part should also be eaten and taken in
small amounts and in moderation. As the shape of the pyramid
on its way up shrinks its size, the human consumption of the
foods in those food groups should also shrink.
– Milk (3-4 servings) – Foods include milk, yogurt, and cheese. The key
ingredient is calcium, which builds strong teeth and bones. Fruits (2-4
servings) – Fruits are excellent sources of vitamin C, which heals cuts and
keeps skin healthy, and fiber which helps your digestion. Vegetables (3-5
servings) – Veggies are also great sources of fiber and vitamin A. Just
remember that darker colored vegetables, like carrots and broccoli, have
more nutrients. Meal (2-3 servings) – Foods include meat (beef, chicken,
turkey, fish, pork but not bacon), beans and nuts. This group provides iron
and protein, which gives you strong muscles. Grains (6-11 servings) – This
food group gives you energy because it contains carbohydrates. It includes
breads, cereals, rice, and pasta. There is no good or bad food; it is just that
the others are more nutritious than the others.
– In order to stay healthy, you have to eat a variety of
nutritious foods every day. It’s not that easy to eat
healthy though, and that’s where the Food Guide
Pyramid can help you out!
– For you to grow and develop to the fullest and to
improve your nutritional status, it is important to
follow healthy eating guidelines such as:
–Eat a variety of foods daily.
–Maintain a healthy weight.
–Eat foods that are low in fat,
saturated fat, and cholesterol to
lower the risk of heart diseases avoid
too much cholesterol in your diet.
–Consume milk, milk products, and other
calcium-rich foods, such as small fish and
dark green leafy vegetables daily.
–Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, root
crops, and grain products.
–Use sugar in moderation
–Eat clean and safe food, cook food in
edible/cooking oil.
–Use iodized salt but avoid excessive
intake of salty foods. Too much salt
in the diet may increase the risk of
having high blood pressure.
 To achieve your full growth
potential, proper food
selection and eating are very
essential. You must know
your physical need for food
and follow the dietary
guidelines appropriate for
your age.
Following certain rules and
guidelines will help you
choose a balanced and
healthful diet. Below is an
example of a guideline you
must follow.
Always remember that you need to eat foods that your
body needs to support your growing body and to
prevent future health problems.
– Total nutrients needs are higher during adolescence
than any other time in the lifecycle. Since nutrition
and physical growth are essentially related; ideal
nutrition is a requisite for achieving full growth
potential. Nutrition is also important during this
time to help prevent adult diet-related chronic
diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and
osteoporosis.
– In relation to puberty, nutrient needs are similar for boys
and girls. It is during puberty that body composition and
biological changes happen which affects gender specific
nutrient needs. Nutrient needs for both males and
females rapidly increase during adolescence. Nutrient
needs alongside the rate of growth, with the greatest
nutrient demands occur during the peak velocity of
growth. At the peak of the adolescent growth spurt, the
nutritional requirements may be twice as high as those of
the remaining period of adolescence.
 Importance of Nutrition among
Adolescents
CALCIUM
– For bone development, you need extra calcium. It is likewise
needed for the regulation of vital body functions, such as blood
clotting, heart muscle contraction and relaxation, transmission of
nerve impulse, and activation of some enzymes. Eating a balanced
diet helps in building bone mass that will lessen your chance of
developing osteoporosis in later life. Adolescents, ages 10-18 have
calcium requirements of 1000 milligrams per day. You can get
calcium from dairy products, leafy vegetables, and tofu. It is
important to include any of these foods in your daily diet.
 Remember, more than
90 percent of bone
density develops by the
time you reach 18 years.
 Do you know that
Vitamin C is needed for
iron absorption?
 IRON
– Teenage boys and girls have high demands of iron due to
growth spurt. The onset of menstruation among girls also
increases the need for iron. Boys 13-15 years of age need
20 milligrams while girls need 21 milligrams daily. You can
improve the absorption of iron from plants by eating fruits
or drinking fruit juices that contain vitamin C. Iron is
important for proper functioning of cells and for resistance
to infection.
 PROTEIN
– Due to your accelerated growth and development, you need body-building
foods. Boys, ages 13-15, need 71 grams of protein daily while girls need 63
grams daily. Body-building food is protein-rich necessary for the growth and
development of your body, especially your bones and muscles. Throughout
your life, your body replaces damaged or worn-out cells by making new
ones. Protein helps the body make enzymes, antibodies, and hormones.
Protein also supplies the body with energy even if it is not your body’s main
energy source. Protein provides four calories per gram. Animal products,
such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, and soybeans are good
sources of complete protein.
Protein-rich food helps the
body repair itself.
Remember, consume only
the required amount of
protein your body needs
daily.
 CARBOHYDRATES
– An increase in the physical activities of adolescents
requires more energy food. Energy-giving food or
carbohydrates are the starches and sugars found
primarily in bread, cereals, and in fruits and
vegetables. Boys at the age of 13-14 need 2800
kilocalories for boys weighing 50 kilos while 2250
kilocalories are needed for girls weighing 49 kilos.
 In general, boys
need more energy
than girls due to
the physical
activities most of
them engage in.
–Your body uses energy from carbohydrates to
perform every task you do. All carbohydrates
are converted by your body to glucose, a simple
sugar that is your body’s main source of energy.
If your body does not consume glucose right
away, it is stored in the liver and muscles as
glycogen. When you need more energy, the
glycogen is converted back to glucose.
 In cases when you take more
carbohydrates than your body can
consume, it is stored as body fats in the
body may result to being overweight or
obese.
Obesity must be avoided because it
is a major risk factor to several
chronic diseases, such as heart
disease, diabetes and some types of
cancer.
 FIBER

– You need fiber or roughage, indigestible complex carbohydrates

found in the tough parts of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
Fiber helps move waste through the digestive system. It prevents
constipation and other intestinal problems, and reduces your
risk of heart diseases. Some types of fiber help control diabetes
by reducing blood glucose levels. To stay healthy, you have to eat
20-35 grams of fibers daily.
–Remember that there is a strong relationship
between what you eat and your health, not
only today but in the future as well. Proper
nutrition also helps prevent diet-related
chronic diseases in the future, such as
cardiovascular disease, cancer, and
osteoporosis. It is important for you to select
a well-balanced diet always.
–As active adolescents you need more
energy food. A person doing high level
activities requires more energy. If you are
very active, you need to eat a variety of
food. Eat only in amounts that your body
needs or that matches your growth and
activity level.
– You usually engage in physical activities like sports.
During these activities wherein you perspire a lot,
you lose some sodium. Usually the salt in your diet
replaces the salt lost. Excessive perspiration during
strenuous physical activities removes the potassium,
sodium, and calcium from your body. You can replace
these by eating foods, such as vegetables, cereals,
meat, dried fruits, and milk.
 NUTRITIONAL NEEDS
DURING EXERCISE
– Exercise can also increase your body’s need for
thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. You need these
vitamins for the release and use of energy when
you are exercising or doing activities. You can get
these from foods, such as meat, fish, beans milk,
cheese, poultry, and eggs.
Teenagers or athletes who engage
in vigorous physical activities
should take into consideration
certain dietary precautions to
ensure good health.
– Drink enough water. Water intake depends on
factors such as body weight, medical condition,
and activity for the day. Drink an extra 568 ml of
water 2 hours before the activity and 85.2 – 170.4
ml every 10-20 minutes during the actual vigorous
activity. Avoid drinks with high sugar content to
avoid delay in stomach emptying. Water is the
most important beverage.
–Eat foods rich in iron. Athletes should also
eat citrus fruits. Citrus fruits help
facilitate body’s absorption of the iron in
cereals, vegetables, and other non-meat
sources. These foods help prevent
potential iron-deficiency anemia
–Eat foods rich in calcium. Female
athletes, for example, can be prone to
osteoporosis (weakening of the bones as
a result of loss of calcium). They must be
particularly careful to eat foods rich in
calcium to get the recommended dietary
allowance of calcium.
– Your daily diet should be selected carefully. The
nutritional guidelines for adolescents will make it
easy for you to choose a balanced diet. You need
different nutrients to be sure that your body
functions properly. You also need body-building
foods due to your accelerated growth and
development. Your active life also requires more
energy foods.
 Healthful Eating Guidelines
Food Selection Based on Adolescents’ Nutritional
Needs

–You are what you eat! How you

feel and how much energy you
use to be active have a lot to do
with what you eat.
Good nutrition

– Is very important in enhancing your quality

of life and in preventing diseases. It means
eating the right amount of healthful foods
and not skipping meals. It provides you
with the needed calories and nutrients for
your maximum energy and wellness.
 Kilocalories or calories

– Are units of heat that measure the energy used

by the body and the energy that foods supply to
the body. You need energy to fuel everything you
do – from playing, making assignments, talking to
your friends, watching television, sleeping, and
all your body activities.
 Nutrients

– On the other hand, are substances in food that your body

needs to grow, repair itself, and supply you with energy. The
foods you eat greatly affect your over-all health including
your ability to stay active, study and hang-out with your
friends. If you choose the right foods to eat, these will
provide your body with the nutrients it needs to help you
look and perform at your best.
 Healthy eating

– Is not about strict dietary limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or

depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great,
having more energy, and stabilizing your mood. If you feel overwhelmed
by all the conflicting nutrition and diet advice out there, you’re not alone.
It seems that for every expert who tells you a certain food is good for you,
you’ll find another saying the opposite.
– Here are some important healthy eating tips you must know and practice
in order to achieve a healthy body and reach your full growth potential.
 Healthy eating tips:

1.Set yourself up for success

To set yourself up for success, think about
planning a healthy diet as a number of small,
manageable steps rather than one big drastic
change.
2. Moderation is key

–In essence, it means eating only

as much food as your body
needs. You should feel satisfied
at the end of a meal, but not
stuffed.
 3. It’s not just what you eat,
it’s how you eat.
–Healthy eating is about more than the food on
your plate – it is also about how you think
about food. Healthy eating habits can be
learned and it is important to slow down and
think about food as nourishment rather than
just something to gulp down.
 4. Fill up on colorful fruits
and vegetables

–Fruits and vegetables are the foundation

of a healthy diet. They are low in calories
and nutrient dense, which means they are
packed with vitamins, minerals,
antioxidants, and fiber.
 5. Eat more healthy carbs and
whole grains
– Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially
whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being
delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in
phytochemicals which are chemical compounds found in plants
and antioxidants which are substances added to food and
other products to prevent harmful chemical reactions, which
help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers,
and diabetes.
 6. Enjoy healthy fats & avoid
unhealthy fats
– Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your
brain, heart, and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and
nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA
(eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosanhexaenoic
acid) are particularly important and can reduce
cardiovascular disease, improve mood, and help
prevent dementia.
 7. Add calcium for bone
health

– Calcium is one of the key nutrients that your body

needs in order to stay strong and healthy. Your
body uses it to build healthy bones and teeth, keep
them strong as you age, send messages through the
nervous system, and regulate the heart’s rhythm.
 8. Put protein in perspective

–Protein gives us the energy to get up and go

and keep going. Protein in food is broken
down into the 20 amino acids that are body’s
basic building blocks for growth and energy,
and essential for maintaining cells, tissues,
and organs.
 9. Limit sugar and salt

– Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10

teaspoons of sugar in it, more than the daily
recommended limit! Try sparkling water with
lemon or a splash of fruit juice. On the other
hand, salt intake should also be avoided to
prevent cardiovascular diseases.
 10. Bulk up on fiber

- Eating foods high in dietary fiber can help you

stay fit, lower your risk for heart disease, stroke,
and diabetes, and help you lose weight.
- In general, the more natural and unprocessed
the food, the higher it is in fiber.
 Nutritional needs
– Vary for each stage of life, so it is important to eat a healthy diet through all life
stages. Adolescence is one of the fastest growth periods in a person’s life. The
physical changes during this stage affect the body’s nutritional needs. Changes in
your lifestyle as an adolescent may also affect your food choices and eating
habits. A person with active social life and busy schedules might often skip meals
and just take snacks throughout the day. Are you a busy person? Do you skip
breakfast? Do you know that this important meal will give you the energy to
make it through the day to perform well in school? When you skip meals, you
might resort to eating snack in fast foods or “carinderias,” or not eating at all.
When you eat outside, your choice of foods is often high in fats and sugar that
provides less nutritional value. These practices are unhealthful and are major risk
factors in developing chronic diseases, diabetes, and even some type of cancer.
 Did You Know?

– Making a good decision is a life skill. A good decision is a

decision in which you have carefully considered the
outcome of each choice. Choices that would somehow
bring out the best in you and will make everything fall
into its proper places. If you can make careful decisions,
you can take full responsibility of your life. Try this.
 Malnutrition and Micronutrient
Deficiencies
– Malnutrition is a condition wherein a person is not
getting enough of the right food. Even if people
get enough to eat, they will become malnourished
if the food they eat does not provide the proper
amounts of micronutrients – vitamins and
minerals – to meet daily nutritional requirements.
– On the other hand, there are two types of
malnutrition, under nutrition and over nutrition.
Over nutrition happens when a person eats and
gets nutritional requirements beyond the needed
and ideal amount. Under nutrition is a condition
where in a person does not eat or take the daily
needed nutrients and nutritional requirements
leading to diseases and deficiencies.
– Disease and malnutrition are closely related. More
often disease is the result of malnutrition;
sometimes it is a contributing cause. In fact,
malnutrition is the largest single contributor to
diseases in the world, according to the United
Nations’ Standing Committee on Nutrition (SCN).
Malnutrition at an early age leads to reduced
physical and mental development during
childhood.
– Malnutrition should be attended to immediately.
Do you know that if this will not be checked early
among adolescents, it will lead to serious
problems? Some of these problems are:
– Slow growth and development
– Poor school performance
– Sluggishness and fatigue
– Poor nutrition in adulthood
 Obesity
– Is a medical condition in which a person has too much
body fat. Obesity occurs when people eat more food (the
body’s fuel), than the body requires. When the body
consumes food in excess of its fuel requirements, it stores
these extra calories in the form of body fat. Bodies that
are highly active have greater caloric requirements than
sedentary bodies. Thus, obesity can develop from eating
too much food, or not being active enough, or both.
– The problem with excess body fat is that it leads to
development of other medical complications and
problems. Obesity can prevent the body from using
blood sugar correctly, which may lead to the
development of diabetes. Excess fat circulating in the
blood stream can block arteries causing blood clots to
form as blood circulation slows at the blockage, the
same way water slows and pools at a dam. The clots can
break free and cause heart attacks and strokes.
– Excess weight strains the heart and cardiovascular
system as they must work harder to carry the extra
weight around. Excess weight also puts too much
pressure on bones and joints, leading to pain and
premature joint deterioration. Historically, these
medical conditions were limited to adults, but
doctors are noticing an alarming trend as more and
more youth are being diagnosed with these same
problems.
 Micronutrients

–Are vitamins and minerals that all human

need to maintain strong bodies and mental
sharpness, fight off disease, and bear healthy
children. Micronutrients are needed by the
body only in reasonable amounts.
– Micronutrients play a life-saving role in developing
countries, as well as in affecting peoples quality of life.
Vitamin A, iron and iodine are the most common
micronutrients that are lacking in Filipino diets. Hence,
children, the pregnant and lactating women are the ones
usually suffering from these deficiencies. These
micronutrients have been shown to profoundly affect child
survival, educational achievement, women health, adult
productivity, and over-all resistance to illness.
– Only certain foods contain significant amounts of
micronutrients. People may have enough to eat, but still
do not consume enough micronutrients. Availability and
accessibility of nutrient-rich foods and the dietary
practices related to their preparation and consumption
is an important consideration. In addition, infections
and parasites can lower levels of micronutrients in the
body.
 Micronutrient Deficiencies

– Are diseases caused by deficiency of vitamins or

minerals in the diet. The most common
micronutrient deficiencies not only in our country
but also in the whole world are Vitamin A, iron
deficiency anemia, and Iodine deficiency
disorders.
 Types Indications
1. Vitamin A -Primarily affects children but the
deficiency (VAD) effects last a lifetime. It causes
night blindness (xerophthalmia)
and later on, permanent blindness.
The child suffering from VAD does
not reach optimum physical
growth and becomes prone to
infections that contribute to the
high rates of sickness and death
among young children.
Prevention
-Regular consumption
of vitamin A-rich
foods, such as animal
products, and orange
and yellow fruits and
vegetables, dark green
leafy vegetables, and
palm
 Types Indications Prevention
2. Iron deficiency Is a condition in which the red Foods such as dark
anemia blood cell count or hemoglobin is green leafy vegetables,
less than normal. It affects mostly legumes, and red meat
adolescent girls, women of child- are rich in iron, as are
bearing age, and pre-school iron-fortified food
children. Anemia results in products.
retarded physical growth, low
resistance to infections, and show
development of learning abilities.
In adults it causes fatigue and
reduced work capacity and may
cause reproductive impairment.
 Types Indications Prevention
3. Iodine Results from lack of iodine in the Iodine rich foods are
deficiency diet. Iodine is needed for the breads, iodized table
disorder (IDD) production of thyroid hormone. It salt cheese, saltwater
is one of the most prevalent causes fish, cow’s milk,
of developmental delay and brain seaweed, eggs,
damage in regions where little shellfish, frozen
iodine occurs naturally in the diet. yogurt, soy milk, ice
cream, soy sauce
 Iodine deficiency can lead to
enlargement of the thyroid or
goiter, hypothyroidism, and to
mental retardation in infants
and children whose mothers
lacked iodine when they were
pregnant.
Iodine deficiency disorder is the most common
cause of preventable mental retardation. In
severe cases it can lead to deaf-mutism, and
other serious disorders, as well as reproductive
impairment, which results in miscarriage,
stillbirth, and birth defects.
 Nutritional Disorders

– Amidst everyone’s best efforts, some nutritional

problems can still arise or worsen during adolescence.
Some develop problems with unhealthy and extremely
restrictive dieting without meeting the minimum
nutritional requirements necessary for healthy growth
and development.
 Eating Disorders
– Some adolescents tend to eat less because of their
fear of becoming fat. They become choosy with the
foods they eat, preferring snack foods to full
meals. Some are too conscious about their efforts
to lose weight get out of control. Due to their
desire to lose weight, they develop eating
disorders.
An eating disorder is an extreme, unsafe eating
behavior that can cause serious illness or that may
even result in death. The exact cause is unknown.
Some may have serious underlying mental and
emotional problems that need professional
treatment. They develop eating disorders that if not
treated earlier can lead to serious health problems.
It might also lead to death.
 Kinds of Eating Disorder
1. Anorexia Is an eating disorder characterized by self imposed
nervosa starvation leading to excessive weight loss. It’s an
extreme fear of becoming obese and a distorted
view of one’s body size and shape. It is a
psychological disorder with physical and emotional
consequences. Outside pressures, high
expectations, the need to achieve or the need to be
popular, and the need to be accepted are
characteristics of people who tend to develop this
disorder. If not treated earlier, those with anorexia
nervosa become malnourished. The condition may
also become severe enough to cause death.
 Kinds of Eating Disorder
2. Bulimia Is a disorder which the clearing of digestive
tract follows cycles of overeating. People
with this disorder are too concerned with
weight. They will eat large quantity of flood
in a short period of time. After eating, they
will take laxatives to rid the body of the food
to avoid gaining weight. They may induce
vomiting, abuse laxatives or diuretics, and go
on dieting, or do excessive exercises. These
practices are harmful and will damage the
body.
 Kinds of Eating Disorder
3. Binge eating Is characterized by compulsive eating. People
disorder who indulge in compulsive eating consume a
large amount of food at one time but they do
not eliminate it. Binge eating disorder may be
an indicator that the person uses food to
cope with depression or strong emotions.
 Kinds of Eating Disorder
3. Binge eating It is different from normal appetite increase
disorder or overeating during holidays. Those with a
binge eating problem eat large amounts of
food on a regular basis. They eat quickly or
most often do something while eating. This
results in being overweight or even obese
because of so many calories they have taken,
which are more than what the body can use.
 Warning Signs and Symptoms of
Eating Disorders
Anorexia nervosa Bulimia Binge eating disorder
• Dry skin • Damaged heart due to • Lack of control once one
• Fainting starvation begins to eat
• Brittle hair • Damaged kidney due to • Depression
• Dehydration laxative abuse • Grief
• Loss of body fat • Dehydration and serious • Anxiety
• Irregular heartbeat malnutrition • Shame
• Loss of menstruation • Enlarged stomach • Disgust or self hatred about
• Wasting away of muscle • Tooth enamel injury eating behaviors
tissue • Sores in the mouth
• Throats are often red