Nutrition and Fitness Tips for the Adolescent Years

Adolescence can be a very stressful time. The main reason being, it is a time of change. An adolescent’s body is growing and maturing as never before. It is also a time of challenges. During adolescence, a child is developing independence and acquiring social skills as well as driving for achievement and social acceptance.

Another demand on an adolescent is building good nutritional habits and achieving a reasonable fitness level. Many health habits formed during adolescence will be maintained throughout a lifetime. It is a parent’s responsibility to help the child build good nutrition habits and for them to become a priority despite other overwhelming concerns.

The most rapid growth spurts for children usually happen around adolescence. For girls it is usually between the ages of 10 and 13 years and for boys 12 and 15 years. Adolescence is also a time of puberty when boys’ and girls’ bodies develop into those of men and women. At this point, nutrient needs will move in line with his or her own particular rate of growth and development.

To support the many changes, an adolescent will need additional calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals from his or her diet. The best way to achieve this is to consume a balanced diet that contains variety from the different food groups.

Getting an adolescent to eat a balanced and varied diet on a regular basis can be a huge challenge. Many children in this age group prefer to skip meals and when they do eat they rely on old favorites like pizza, burgers, fries, chips, and sweets.

Try some of these tactics to encourage your adolescent to healthier eating habits:

• Offer to prepare a quick and nutritious breakfast. Try whole grain waffles or pancakes with fruit; whole grain hot or ready to eat cereal with fruit and low fat milk; blender milk shakes with low fat milk, frozen fruit, and low fat yogurt; whole grain English muffin or toast with low fat cheese or peanut butter.

• When your child is willing, pack a nutritious lunch. Try whole grain bread sandwiches with lean turkey or ham, low fat cheese, light sandwich spreads, lettuce and tomato; mini carrots and dip; whole grain crackers and low fat cheese with fruit; wraps made with hummus spread and vegetables. Try some of the baked potato and tortilla chips now available.
• Offer a balanced varied dinner and ask dinner time be family time. Convenience foods can definitely be a part of a healthy diet when chosen carefully.

• Many adolescents are overweight therefore, a diet low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, simple sugars, and sodium is also important to consider. An increase in physical activity can help control weight and build strong bodies. Limit snack and fast foods since they often contribute empty calories and lots of fats, sugar, and salt.

• Talk to your child regularly about nutrition, food labels, and food choices in a supportive way. Nagging and threatening about food will only lead to rebellion and non-compliance.

• Be a good role model and prepare healthful meals for everyone. Keep yourself in shape.

• Make changes gradually. You can often make low fat substitutions for high fat ones without anyone else knowing it.

• Avoid labeling particular foods as “bad” and “good”. It is the total diet that influences a child’s health over time not a particular food or meal. 

Healthy Snack Options

• Low fat cheese or hummus with whole grain bread or crackers
• Fresh fruit or fruit canned in natural juices
• Whole grain cereal
• Low fat or nonfat yogurt
• Lite microwave popcorn
• Graham crackers, fig bars, low fat ginger snaps
• Celery or bananas with small amounts of peanut butter
• Frozen fruit bars
• Low fat or nonfat frozen yogurt
• Pretzels
• breadsticks