Features of proper nutrition for teenagers 12-17 years old

Teens experience major physical and mental changes between the ages of 12 and 17. During these critical years, adequate nutrition is essential for promoting their growth, development, and general well-being.

Teens are becoming more independent, and this often means they are making their own food decisions, which can occasionally result in bad eating habits. In order to give them the energy and nutrients they require to stay active and focused, it is crucial to encourage a balanced diet.

Parents and other adults who care for teenagers can help them adopt healthier eating habits by being aware of their unique nutritional needs. This involves providing them with the proper ratios of fats, proteins, carbs, and vitamins and minerals—all of which are vital for their developing bodies.

Principles of healthy eating

• Meals should be regular, so it is important to organize a meal schedule that the teenager will follow every day.
• The teenager"s menu should be as varied as possible so that the child receives both replaceable and essential nutrients in the right amount.
• Proteins in a teenager"s daily diet should be at least 50-60% animal products.
• A teenager should get fats from vegetable oil, sour cream, nuts, cheese, butter and other products. It is desirable that about 70% of all fats consumed per day are vegetable.
• A child should get carbohydrates in greater quantities than other nutrients. The optimal ratio of carbohydrates to proteins is 4 to 1.
• Sources of fast carbohydrates (sweet dishes) should make up to 20% of all carbohydrates consumed by a teenager.
• A child will get complex carbohydrates from cereals, potato dishes, bread. For the preparation of flour dishes, it is recommended to give preference to coarse flour.
• Fish should be present in a teenager"s menu at least 1-2 times a week. The same recommendations are given for red meat.
• Every day, a teenager should eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables. One serving is a medium-sized fruit (such as an apple or orange), two small fruits (such as an apricot), 50 g of vegetable salad, a glass of freshly squeezed juice, three tablespoons of cooked vegetables.
• Dairy products should be on a teenager"s menu every day in the form of three servings.
• A child can eat fatty and sweet foods in small quantities, but such dishes should not replace healthy foods, as they contain too few useful elements.
• The best types of heat treatment of foods are boiling and stewing, as well as baking.
• Foods with food additives, margarines, store-bought sauces, out-of-season vegetables, dry-cured sausages, very spicy dishes, deep-fried foods, packaged juices, lollipops, fast food, chewing gum are undesirable in the diet of teenagers. It is also worth limiting the consumption of white bread and sugar.

Teens between the ages of 12 and 17 need proper nutrition to support their rapid growth, mental development, and general health. Teenagers during this time require a well-balanced diet full of healthy fats, proteins, and vitamins and minerals to maintain their physical strength and energy levels. Additionally, it’s critical to stay away from processed foods and sugary snacks in excess since they can contribute to health problems like obesity and poor focus. Teaching teenagers how to choose better foods can help them develop healthy eating habits that last a lifetime.

Teenager"s nutritional needs

It is important to provide teens with enough calories to meet their energy needs throughout the day. This equates to roughly 2500–3000 kcal per day, or 65 kcal per kilogram of the child’s weight on average.

If the adolescent engages in a lot of physical activity, the daily caloric intake should be increased to match the energy used during training.

Adolescent children should consume an average of 400 g of carbohydrates, 90-100 g of fat, and 100-110 g of protein each day.

What foods should make up the diet?

The following foods are necessary for a teen’s daily diet:

• Meat – about 200 grams;
• Cottage cheese – 60 grams;
• Dairy products – about 500 ml;
• 1 egg;
• Cheese – about 10-15 grams daily;
• Fish – from 60 to 70 grams;
• Sweets – up to 100 grams;
• Bread – from 300 to 400 grams (including rye bread in quantities up to 150 grams);
• Pasta or cereals – about 60 grams (once a week, replace legumes in the same amount);
• Vegetables – 300-350 grams;
• Fresh fruits – from 150 to 300 grams;
• Dried fruits – about 25 grams;
• Butter – from 30 to 40 grams;
• Vegetable oil – from 15 to 20 grams.

See another article for information on vitamins for teenagers. Find out what you should be aware of at this age and if you need to add any more vitamin complexes to your diet.

When creating a menu for a teenager, keep the following in mind: watch the Union of Pediatricians of Russia’s video.

How to teach a child to eat healthy food?

Adolescent nutrition is a complicated but straightforward topic. Although parents can still have an impact on their child’s menu, the child’s overall food preferences have already been established. Furthermore, nutrition is impacted by the desire for independence and doing things one’s own way. Here, striking a balance between violence against the person and control over nutrition is crucial.

It’s crucial to set a good example for parents when it comes to teen nutrition. It is ideal for the entire family to adhere to the rational nutrition guidelines. Talk to the child about the advantages of particular goods and the significance of particular foods for development and well-being. Inform the adolescent about the value of breakfast, the drawbacks of fast food, meal skipping, and starvation diets.

Make sure you keep an eye out for the child’s nutritional needs at school. Encourage the adolescent to bring a nutritious substitute for pizza and hot dogs from home. Allow your child to bring fruits, yogurts, homemade pastries, casseroles, and casseroles to school, for instance.

Diet regimen

Teens ought to eat four times a day minimum. Every meal is separated into:

1. Breakfast. In the morning meal, the child should receive about 25% of all calories.
2. Lunch. This is the largest meal, accounting for 35 to 40% of the daily caloric content.
3. Afternoon snack. It is represented by a small snack, corresponding to about 15% of the daily caloric content.
4. Dinner. In the evening meal, the child is advised to eat from 20 to 25% of the daily calorie requirement. It is important that the teenager has dinner no more than 2 hours before going to bed.

What liquids to give?

The features of the child’s menu, the teenager’s activity level, and the weather will all affect how much liquid the adolescent drinks overall each day. You should drink more water when it’s hot outside or when you’re exercising. Teenagers require roughly 50 milliliters of liquid per kilogram of body weight each day on average.

Plain water is the ideal beverage for teenagers. Additionally, beverages like milk, compotes, jelly, rosehip infusion, dried fruit decoction, tea, and cocoa may be included in a school-age child’s diet.

Juice’s high simple sugar content and higher acidity make it a less desirable beverage. A child’s juice must be diluted with water if it is consumed straight from the squeeze.

Both carbonated and highly caffeinated drinks are not recommended for teenagers to consume. In addition to impairing iron absorption, caffeine can interfere with sleep. Carbonated beverages frequently include different chemical additives, are not very effective at reducing thirst, and irritate the digestive system.

How to make a menu?

A teen’s daily schedule, including their timetable for tutoring, sports, school, and other activities, should be considered when planning their menu for the day.

Making the menu for the entire week at once will ensure that it is more nutrient-dense and varied. Take into account the following details:

• For breakfast, a teenager should receive an average of 300 g of a main dish, as well as a drink of about 200 ml. Good options for breakfast are milk porridge, cottage cheese dishes, omelet or scrambled eggs. Vegetables, dried fruits, berries, fruits, meat, sauces are added to them.
• Many teenagers have lunch at school, receiving soup, a second course (usually including a side dish and meat or fish), as well as a drink. A home lunch menu is built on the same principle. The child is given about 250 ml of the first course and about 100 g of vegetable salad. The main course for a teenager is offered in a volume of up to 300 grams, and a drink in a volume of 200 ml.
• For an afternoon snack, a teenager is recommended to consume dairy products, fruits, pastries and cookies. Approximate volumes of dishes are 100 g for pastries, 100 g for fruits and 150-200 ml for a drink.
• For an evening meal, a teenager is offered a main course (about 300 g) and a drink (200 ml). A good choice would be low-fat protein dishes, for example, cottage cheese casserole, egg dishes or fish dishes. Also, a good option for dinner for teenagers is porridge and vegetable dishes.
• Bread can be included in any meal, offering the child bakery products from different types of flour.

Sample menu

An example of a teenage daytime menu might be as follows:

• Oatmeal milk porridge with dried apricots, bread with cheese, cocoa.
• Egg, tomato and cucumber salad, broth with noodles, stewed cabbage, beef meatballs, grape juice, bread.
• Curd cookies, apple, milk.
• Potato casserole with meat, rosehip infusion, bread.

The second daily menu choice for a child between the ages of 12 and 17 is:

• Curd casserole with sour cream sauce, bread and butter, tea.
• Carrot and cabbage salad, borscht, mashed potatoes, baked rabbit, dried fruit compote, bread.
• Sweet bun, orange, kefir.
• Omelet with peas, cheese sandwich, chicory.

An additional choice from the daily menu for a teenager is:

• Omelet with tomatoes and cheese, rye bread, tea with honey.
• Zucchini caviar, vegetable soup with sour cream, buckwheat porridge, stewed liver, apple jelly, bread.
• Oatmeal cookies, baked apple, fermented baked milk.
• Pancakes with cottage cheese and raisins, cocoa, bread.

Adolescents aged 12 to 17 require a healthy diet to support their active lifestyles and continued growth and development. During these crucial years, maintaining a healthy and energetic diet is crucial for them.

Encouraging a diverse range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and other foods guarantees that they receive the vital nutrients their bodies require. Reducing your intake of processed foods and sugar-filled beverages is also crucial for long-term health.

Teens may become more interested in eating healthily if they are involved in meal preparation and planning. Establishing healthy habits in them early on will lay the groundwork for long-term wellbeing.

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