Korean J Pediatr.  2006 Dec;49(12):1263-1266. 10.3345/kjp.2006.49.12.1263.

Adolescent nutrition and growth

• Park S

• KMID: 2278497
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3345/kjp.2006.49.12.1263

Abstract

Nutrition is an essential component of total adolescent health care. Two important changes occurring during adolescence can cause a crisis in the teenager's nutritional needs. First, growth in height, weight, and body component is greater and more rapid than at any time since infancy. Second, an adolescent's eating habits may change from regular meals prepared at home to irregular meals, skipped meals, and nutrition-poor snacks and fast-food meals. Adolescents have been found to have the highest prevalence of any age group of an unsatisfactory nutritional status. To understand the nutritional requirements of the adolescent, health practitioners should be aware of the intensity and timing of the adolescent growth spurt, the differences in the growth spurt between males and females, and the individual variation in timing of the growth spurt from teenager to teenager.

Keyword

Adolescent nutrition; Adolescent growth

MeSH Terms

Adolescent*
Delivery of Health Care
Eating
Female
Humans
Male
Meals
Nutritional Requirements
Nutritional Status
Prevalence
Snacks