Changes in Nutrition Needs in Teens

Some of the most stressful years in a person’s life, the teenager years also require the most nutrients of any time in the life cycle. Physical growth and changes in the body require the nutrients, and if those nutrients are not met then their growth will be stunted. Nutritional requirements change throughout adolescence, and there begins to form a gap between males and females. The nutrient requirements also change for each gender because of different body compositions and biological changes.

Caloric needs start to wane when the growth phase starts to slow down, however, during early adolescence, the amount of calories required is high. In early adolescence, boys require an average of 2,800 calories a day, while girls only require an average of 2,200 a day. The majority of adolescents will need less calories as they age. However, kids that are big and tall or participate in physical activity will require more calories into late adolescence. Girls will require 25% fewer calories than boys in late adolescence.

The other two macronutrients, proteins and fats, are in overabundance for adolescence. Kids in the United States eat over double the recommended protein amount daily and their diet contains 14% more fats than are recommended. The need for protein will peak in two different age ranges for kids. Girls will need the most protein during ages 11 to 14, while boys will peak in protein necessity at ages 15 to 18. The needs of fat are the same for boys and girls throughout adolescence.

Other nutrient needs will also increase during adolescence. Calcium is one of the most needed minerals for kids in adolescence because by the age of 19, 90% of their adult bone mass has been met. It is suggested that kids get 1300 milligrams of calcium per day, however most kids do not achieve this mark. The need for iron in diets increasing during adolescence due to the rapid growth and expansion of the blood network and muscle growth. Until age 13, both