Food and Fitness:

Adolescent
Nutrition
Nutritional Problems in Adolescents
 Poor eating habits
 High consumption of junk
food/sugar/fats
 Large portion sizes
 Lack of variety
Most adolescents eat food
 Related health concerns that contains too much
sugar and fat.
 Obesity
 Osteoporosis
 Diabetes
 Heart disease

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Junk Food
 Fallacy: if allowed to make their own choices, students
will make healthy food selections.
 Junk food = food with minimal nutritional value.
 Portion sizes of junk food have increased dramatically.
 Students consume junk food frequently.
 Soft drinks and other high sugar drinks contribute high
numbers of calories to students’ diets.

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Portion Sizes
 Is a glass from home is estimated to
contain one serving size?
 Serving of juice = 4 ounces.
 Most glasses used by students = 10-16
ounces. Soft drinks are a major
source of hidden Calories.
 Average super-sized meal contains 1500–
2000 Calories.
 Lack of exercise exacerbates problems
caused by large portion sizes.

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Estimating Portion Sizes
 Palm of hand or a deck of cards is same
size as one serving.
 One serving size of rice or pasta = size of
a tennis ball or about the size of fist.
 One serving of cheese is about the size of
one domino or two fingers.
 Large portion sizes and sedentary
lifestyles are linked to overweight and
obesity.

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Importance of Reading Food Labels
 Different categories of nutrients are described
on labels.
 Grams protein

 Grams total carbohydrate

 Grams sugar
 Not all sugar in food is added
 Substances ending in “ose” are sugars
 Important to notice
 How many serving sizes are within a package?

 How many grams of fats are reported as

saturated fat?
 Saturated fat contributes to heart disease.
 Less than 30% of total Calories consumed should
come from fat.
 Fats provide fewer than 30% of the total Calories
in true low-fat foods.

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Lack of Variety in Adolescent Diets
 In some situations, students must try to make a better
“bad choice,” based on knowledge.
 Drink water instead of sweetened drinks.

 Reduce portion sizes.

 Avoid fried foods.

 Eating habits often are linked to convenience.

 Use a dinner plate to estimate how much of your diet
should come from fruits and vegetables.
 1/2 of plate should contain fruits and vegetables.

 Other 1/2 should contain a protein and a starch.

 Include variety: try a new fruit or vegetable each week.

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Lack of Physical Activity
Contributes to Obesity
 Most teenagers and adults need at least 30
minutes of physical activity per day.
 Any movement counts as physical activity.
 Dancing
 Shopping
 Suggestions to help be physically active.
 Get an inexpensive pedometer (get an app!)to
count steps—10,000 steps per day are Dancing is a good way
recommended. to get enough exercise
each day.
 March in place for 30 minutes while watching
television.

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Osteoporosis and Adolescents
 Most children do not have enough calcium-rich foods in their diets.
 Children need the calcium equivalent of four servings of
milk per day.
 Students over the age of 2 should drink skim milk instead of
two percent or whole milk.
 To improve taste, add vanilla (1/2 tsp per qt) or chocolate.
 Or add 1/4 c dry milk powder to improve appearance.
 People who take in dairy calcium burn more fat as part of
a weight reduction program.
 Many adolescents do not receive enough vitamin D (essential for
calcium absorption), because they have reduced exposures to sunlight.
 Fewer outdoor activities
 Increased use of sunscreens

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 Percent Daily Calcium
Calcium Sources for Children Provided by Dairy Foods
1 cup plain yogurt, 5%
fat-free

 Milk has 300 mg calcium per 8-ounce serving. 2 oz American cheese 35%
8 oz milk (fat-free, 30%
 Lactaid will make milk products digestible for low-fat, or whole)
6-8 nachos with cheese 25%
people who are lactose intolerant.
1 slice cheese pizza 22%
 Cheese has 100–140 mg calcium per ounce (size of 1/2 cup macaroni
and cheese
18%

domino). 1 cup cottage cheese 10%

1/2 cup ice cream, 10%
 Calcium-fortified orange juice provides the same soft serve

amount of calcium as milk.

 Calcium supplements must be taken more than
once over the course of a day in order to be
effective.
 Vegetables are less reliable sources of calcium,
because the calcium is made available to the body
less readily during digestion less.

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Diabetes
 The early signs of Type 2 diabetes are visible.
 Weight carried in the abdomen (apple shape)
predisposes a person to diabetes.
 A dark ring of pigmentation around the neck
(hyperpigmentation) or other skin creases
suggests a predisposition to diabetes. Dark pigmentation on
creases on hand
 Type 2 diabetes
 Some people are genetically predisposed.
 Environmental factors
 Portion control
 Healthy diet
 Exercise

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Diet and Iron
 Iron deficiencies result from lack of
variety, fortified cereals, lean red meats
and green leafy vegetables.
 Girls are particularly susceptible to iron
deficiencies.
Spinach is a good
 Simple signs can suggest iron deficiency. source of iron.

 Creases in hand can look pale when

hand is extended.
 Inner eye lid can look pale in color.

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