Nutrition for Adolescence

(Grade 7 – Second Grading)

What is nutrition?

Nutrition refers to the intake of food in relation to the body’s dietary need. Good
nutrition depends on the combination of food having the required different nutrients we
should take on daily basis. Excess or deficient intake of same nutrient may lead to illness.

Why is adolescent nutrition important?

The physical changes during adolescence affect the body’s nutritional needs. For
boys, muscle mass increases and girls increase body fats. Your body needs extra calories
and other nutrients as you go through the physical changes.

Nutritional health during adolescence is important to support the growth of your body
and to prevent future health problems.

What is the nutritional status of Filipino adolescent?

The period of adolescence, the transition from being a child to an adult, is the best
time to institute proper ways and behaviors in health and nutrition.

Based on the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) survey results of the 8th
National Nutrition Survey (2013), the nutritional status of Filipino adolescents shows that:

1. Among adolescents 11-19 years old: 60.3 percent have a normal weight for their
height; 18.1 percent are mild; 17.0 percent are underweight; and 4.60 percent are
overweight.
2. More males, 11-19 years old, are underweight than females, 21.7 to 11.7.
3. More females, 11-19 years old, are overweight than males, 4.8 to 4.4.
4. The prevalence of underweight adolescents increase between 1993 and 1998 but
declined from 2003, 2005, and 2008.

Nutritional Guidelines for Adolescents

According to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), teenagers have a
greater need for certain nutrients because of the rapid growth and development during
teenage years. These include:

1. Calcium – Adolescence is a crucial period for bone development. Calcium is

needed to reach the largest amount of bone tissue or what we call peak bone mass. A
balanced diet including the right amount of calcium delays or limits the chances of having
osteoporosis in later life. Adolescents have a requirement of 1000 mg of calcium per day.

2. Iron – Teenagers need additional iron for the growth spur. Girls in the onset of
menstrual cycle require increased iron intake, for 13-15 years of age, recommended
iron for boys is 20 milligrams/day while girls need 21 milligrams/day.

3. Protein – Within the period of accelerated growth rate, teenagers need a lot of
body-building food. Protein needs of adolescents from 13-15 years of age are 71 grams/day
for boys and 63 grams/day for girls.

4. Energy – During adolescence, boys need more energy foods for increased physical
activities compared to girls. Energy needs of adolescents from 13-15 years of age are 2,800
kilocalories for 50 kg boys and 250 kilocalories for 49 kg of girls.
 5. Vitamins - adolescents need small amounts of vitamins for normal growth and
activity of the body.

6. Minerals - these elements promote chemical reactions in the body and may form
part of many tissues. They are also needed to regulate body processes.

What is a Nutritional Guide Pyramid?

The Nutritional Guide Pyramid provides framework to meet the needs of Filipino
children.

The illustration of the Nutritional Guide Pyramid shows how many servings from each
group are recommended each day.

Daily Nutritional Guide Pyramid

For Filipino Children (13-19 years old)

Why are adolescents undernourished?

1. Poor eating habits

2. Poor food choices and intakes because of peers and media
3. Too conscious of the kinds and amounts food they eat
4. School canteens or cafeterias serve less nutritious food
5. Low intake of iron and vitamin C foods
6. Skipping breakfast and poor meals

Healthful eating means consuming the right quantity and variety of food that contains nutrients needed to maintain
your health, feel good and have energy, and lead a healthful life?

Nutritional Problems of an Adolescent

What are the nutritional problems of an adolescent?

Millions around the world suffer malnutrition, and this includes Filipinos.

Malnutrition is a condition in which an individual’s nutrient is inadequate or

unbalanced.

Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) and micronutrient deficiencies are our country’s leading
nutritional problem. Protein-energy malnutrition is a form of malnutrition where there is not
enough protein-calorie intakes.

Underweight is a weight that is below desirable body weight and overweight is a

weight that is higher than desirable body weight.

Micronutrient deficiency is the lack or shortage of a substance, like vitamins and

minerals, which is essential in small amounts for the proper growth and development

What are the nutritional concerns of adolescent?

1. Skipping breakfast
2. Poor selection of foods eaten during meals/lunch
3. Poor snacking choices
4. Practice of fad diet to lose weight
5. Eating disorders

What are the negative effects of malnutrition among adolescents?

1. Lower resistance to disease

2. Delay in growth and development
3. Poor performance in school
4. Sluggish and easily get tired
5. Poor health in adulthood
6. Increased risk of mortality
7. Delay in the development of secondary sexual characteristics
 Malnutrition and Micronutrient Deficiencies

What do you need to know about nutrients?

Nutrients are substances in food that provide body energy necessary for growth and
repair of cells. They are vital in regulating certain body processes. The six classes of nutrients
are water, protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Macronutrients are essential nutrients required in relatively large amounts, such as

carbohydrates, fats, proteins, or water.

The vitamins and minerals are called micronutrients because they are needed only in
very small amounts. They are essential for normal body functions.

Two Types of Malnutrition

1. Protein-energy Malnutrition - Is a form of malnutrition where there is not enough protein

calorie intake. A child having low calorie and protein intake may result to condition
called Kwashiorkor and Marasmus.

2. Micronutrients deficiency is lack of shortage in the recommended amount or intake of

vitamins and minerals. Deficiency of nutrients leads to different health problems such as
anemia, preventable blindness, osteoporosis, and goiter.

Why are micronutrients important in the developing world?

Micronutrients play a very important role in developing countries, as well as the

people’s quality of life. Adequate intake of vitamins and minerals can spell the difference
between a healthful productive life, and a life brought with illness.

What are the most important nutrients your body needs as you undergo changes during
adolescence?

Adolescent Nutritional Needs

Macronutrients Importance Signs and Symptoms of Deficiency

Proteins Needed for growth and for
building and repairing body tissues nails and toenails, hair loss and
Carbohydrates Main source of energy
Fats Needed for immune system
Help the body store and use
vitamins
Water Needed for waste removal
Regulates body temperature
Ridges or white lines in both finger
thinning or brittle hair, muscle
deterioration
Irritability, nausea, bad breath,
muscle cramps, excess fatigue,
increase in body fat, deficit in body
sodium constipation, regular
headaches, body water content
deficit
Dry skin, hair loss, body weight
deficiency, cold intolerance, bruising,
meager growth, poor infection
resistance and wound healing, loss of
menstruation
Dehydration, muscle cramps,
confusion, nausea, slurred speech,
disorientation
 Cushions the spinal cord and joints
Micronutrients Importance Signs and Symptoms of Deficiency
Vitamins Helps the body use
carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
Vitamin A Maintains healthy skins, bones, Anemia, painful joints, cracks in teeth,
teeth, and hair depression, frequent infections

Aids vision
Vitamin B6 Help make red blood cells Anemia, depression, convulsions, skin
rashes
Vitamin B12 Helps maintain nerve cells Anemia, nervous system
degeneration, progressing to
paralysis, hypersensitivity
Vitamin E Antioxidant needed for Red blood cell breakage, anemia,
stabilization of cell membranes muscle, degeneration, difficulty
walking, leg cramps
Vitamin C Aids in maintenance of red blood Anemia, frequent infections, bleeding
cells gums, loosened teeth, muscle
degeneration and pain, joint pain,
Aids in bone , teeth, and skin blotchy bruises, failure of wounds to
formation and resistance to heal
infection
Foliate Aids in formation of red blood cells Anemia, heartburn, frequent
and protein infections, smooth red tongue,
depression and mental confusion
Minerals Help in regulating the chemical
reactions in the body
Iron Helps in energy metabolism, Anemia, weakness, fatigue, pale
important for transporting oxygen appearance, reduced attention
in the bloodstream, prevention of span, developmental delays in
anemia children
Calcium Helps build and maintain bones Stunted growth for children, adult
and teeth bone loss (osteoporosis)
Zinc Plays a role in immune function, Growth failure, delayed sexual
protein synthesis, and wound maturation, slow wound healing
healing

The Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) developed a new healthy food guide for Filipino adults called
“Pinggang Pinoy”? The food plate has four portions – the fruit, the vegetable, the rice and alternatives, and the meat.

Why do people lack micronutrients?

We may have eat enough but do not get enough micronutrients. There are certain
foods which contain significant amounts of micronutrients. It is also important to consider
how readily available and accessible food rich in nutrients are and their proper preparation
and consumption.
 The Most Common Micronutrients that are Lacking in Filipino Diets

Micronutrients Major Deficiency Disorders

Iodine Goiter, hypothyroidism, iodine deficiency disorders, increased risk of
stillbirth, birth defects, infant mortality , cognitive impairment
Vitamin A Night blindness, xerophthalmia, increased risk of mortality in children and
pregnant women
Iron Iron deficiency, anemia, reduced learning and work capacity, increased
maternal and infant mortality, low birth weight
Zinc Poor pregnancy outcome, impaired growth (stunting), genetic disorders,
decreased resistance to infectious diseases

Ways to Prevent Malnutrition and Micronutrient Deficiencies

1. Food-based strategies

a. Food Fortification is the process of adding vitamins and minerals to

regularly consumed food.
b. Biofortification is a process of developing nutrient-dense staple crops
through breeding.
c. Dietary Diversity is simply eating a variety of food that has a balanced
diet.
d. Dietary supplement is a product usually in capsule, tablet, powder, or
syrup that contains vitamins and minerals intended to add nutritional
values to the diet.

2. Public health approaches – Education, disease control, socioeconomic, and

environmental aspects.

Eating Disorders

What is an eating disorder?

Having a healthy body weight is very desirable, but for some people, social pressure to
get thin or be muscular may lead to negative body image and an unhealthy relation with
food. Women feel the need to imitate unattainable thin figures of stars or models. Men
aspire for the bulked-up look of professional athletes to have a “perfect” body. These desires
are the reasons which lead to unhealthful eating behaviors. Eating disorders refers to an
abnormal eating habit, which results to insufficient or excessive food intake.

How will you recognize eating disorders?

Young people who are at risk for eating disorders:

1. Have negative body image

2. Have low self-esteem
3. Moody
4. May be depressed
5. Feel inadequate
6. Have difficulty in social situations
What are the different types of eating disorders?

1. Anorexia Nervosa - An eating disorder wherein individuals, usually female, starve

themselves leading them to a far below the healthy weight. Those suffering from this
disorder think they are fat although they are in fact thin. Fearing weight gain, these
individuals do not eat enough.

2. Bulimia Nervosa - Frequent eating of very large amounts of food followed by purging,
such as self-induced vomiting, to undo the effects of stuff eating.

3. Binge-eating Disorder - Compulsive overeating in which a person eats huge amounts

of food without control. Binge eating typically lasts around two hours, although some eat
on and off the whole day. Usually done by depressed, stressed, or nervous people
instead of expressing their feelings. This is a common cause of obesity and risks of having
cancer, chronic, and cardiovascular diseases.

How can you help a person with eating disorder?

Talk to someone about his or her eating disorder. However, care must be done so as
to avoid being critical of the person’s condition. Instead, focus on the specific behaviors
that tend to disturb the person.

1. Familiarize yourself with eating disorders by knowing facts against myths. Use facts to
reason with your friend about any inaccurate ideas fueling their eating habits.
2. Be honest. Responsibly and truthfully talk about worries with people having struggles
with eating or problems with the appearances of their bodies. Snubbing the problems
will not provide any help.
3. Be caring but firm. Being manipulated by your friend should not happen when you
care for them. Your friend will be responsible for his/her actions and the
consequences of those actions. Do not make rules, promises or expectations that you
are not willing to follow.
4. Compliment. Give admiring comments on your friend’s achievements or great
personality. It is worth noting that “true beauty” is not skin deep.
5. Be a good role model. Be an example of sensible eating, exercise, and self-
acceptance.
6. People struggling with eating disorders need professional help. You don’t impose
seeking help and sudden or drastic changes to your friend. Steps towards
improvement happen though communicating honest concerns, giving support, and
identifying sources of information and proper assistance.