NUTRITION IN RELATION TO ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT

According to Advanced English Dictionary, Adolescent is the state of development between puberty and maturity or a juvenile between the onset of puberty and maturity.
Good nutrition during adolescent is essential for growth and development, health and well-being, and the prevention of some chronic diseases. Furthermore, poor diet and physical inactivity, resulting in an energy imbalance, are the most important factors contributing to increase in obesity in adolescent. Obesity is the most pressing challenge to nutritional health in this First decade of 21st century. The major nutrition issues among adolescents have shifted from nutrient deficiency diseases, common in the first half of the 20th century, to concern today about over consumption , poor dietary quality and food choices.


What Are The Importance of Healthful Dietary Behaviours  In Adolescents?
During adolescence, good nutrition and dietary behaviors are important to achieve full growth potential and appropriate body composition, to promote health and well-being, and to reduce the risk of chronic diseases in adulthood.
Adolescent requires sufficient energy, protein and other nutrients for growth as well as maintenance of body functions.
During adolescent, the growth tends to accelerates creating increases in nutrients needs to support the rapid growth rate and increase in lean body mass and body size. During puberty, adolescents achieve the final 15-20% of stature, gain 50% of adult body weight and accumulate up to 40% of skeletal mass.
Inadequate intake of energy, protein or certain micronutrients will be reflected in slow growth rates, delayed sexual maturation, inadequate bone mass and low body reserves of micronutrients.
In addition to the impact on growth and development, adolescent's diet are important to ensure overall health and well-being . Dietary practices of adolescents affects the risk of a number of health problems including obesity, iron deficiency and dental caries. Inadequate nutrition also lowers resistance to infectious diseases and may adversely affect the ability to function at peak mental and physical ability. Obesity in adolescents is associated with a number of immediate health risks such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, sleep disturbances, orthopedic problems and psychosocial problems.

Furthermore, some  of the physiological processes that lead to diet - related chronic diseases have their onset during childhood. For example, studies indicate that the process of atherosclerosis begins in childhood. Nutritional factors contribute significantly to the burden of preventable illness and premature deaths in the United State. Four of the ten leading causes of deaths in adults are diet related ; Diabetes, Coronary Heart Diseases, certain Cancers and Strokes. Diet is also associated with osteoporosis. Dietary factors also contribute to reproductive health. E.g adequate consumption of folic acid to prevent neural tube defects in infants. Dietary patterns are influenced by behavioral choices and environmental factors. It may be easier to change children's health behavior than adult's behavior. Childhood offers the opportunity to provide the solid foundation needed for healthful lifelong eating pattern.
A principal goal of Nutritionist and Dieticians is to give people the best chance to enjoy a long and healthful life. Lets put into practice by visiting them regularly to help you out in your dietary pattern so as to help you prevent diseases that occurs during adolescent.
Good nutrition is the key to healthy life during adolescent. It is not too late. Lets take care of our children's diet during their childhood days sa that when they reach adolescent stage they will be free from various diseases that arises during adolescent period.
CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENT  REPRESENT THE NATION'S PRESENT AND ITS FUTURE.


REFERENCE
• Briefel, et al. 2004.secular trends in dietary intake in the United States.pp401-431.
• Daniel SR. 2006. The consequences of childhood overweight and Obesity.pp47-67.
•Gidding, et al. 2006. Dietary recommendation for children and adolescent. Pp 2061-2075.
• WHO (2003). Nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases. Technical Report Series 916.