Adolescence is the stage between childhood and adulthood. This is the age when physical and hormonal changes take place for growth of the child. One has a ravenous appetite naturally at this age to meet the demands of growing body. As the child grows, he/she has to study more, participate in many activities, thus needing and utilising more energy. Therefore, nutritional requirement of an adolescent becomes different as compared to a child or adult. 

Growing children start becoming fussy about food. As per their taste, they eat some foods and refuse to eat some kind of foods, thus affecting their nutrition. To satiate their taste, they may eat junk food with no nutritional value. 

There are also other issues which hamper the intake of good nutritional food in adolescents. One is the desire to have a pencil-thin figure like a favourite model or film star, making many adolescents avoid eating and go on crash dieting. This problem is more with young girls. In boys the craze for muscle building may influence food choice. In all this, they are more influenced by peer group advice. These food fads prevent taking nutritional food. Under peer pressure, an adolescent may start taking alcohol or drugs. This can impair the overall health and nutritional status. Little do these youngsters realise that proper nutrition taken at this stage of life strengthens the body not only at this time but for life.  

Deficiency of necessary calories and nutrients can cause behaviour changes in adolescents. Due to malnutrition, they may also have episodes of agitation or depression, i.e. behavioural changes. Iron requirement is increased at this stage due to increased body mass and size. Girls start menstrual cycles, when they lose some blood every month. If iron intake is inadequate, they tend to develop chronic anaemia. Insufficient intake of green leafy vegetables tends to cause anaemia due to folic acid deficiency. It also causes the bowels to become sluggish. This forms the basis for digestive troubles and constipation from young adulthood. Lack of adequate physical activity augments the problem. 

The requirement of calcium is also increased as bone size and density both are increased. Good optimum bone density achieved in adolescence prevents osteoporosis and pathological fractures   in old age. Lack of adequate intake of calcium and physical inactivity prevent the bones from becoming strong. These individuals can start suffering from aches and pains in the joints from an early age and become prone to softening of bones later in life. 

Childhood and adolescence obesity is yet another issue for concern. Due to increasing facilities for electronic entertainment, youngsters spend more leisure time with computers and phones. The amount of physical activity is much less compared to their potential. Due to high consumption of junk food, there is intake of empty calories which results in obesity. Many adolescents resort to crash dieting to get rid of obesity, which is not healthy and deprives them of essential nutrients. 

To remain healthy for now and throughout life, adolescents have to give attention to nutrition. Fast food should be reduced and replaced by nutritious food.  This can never be substituted by nutritional supplements because many micronutrients present in food cannot be procured by any other means. Alcohol should be avoided. Sodas can be replaced by fresh fruit juices. 

Adolescents should be taught about the value of good nutrition in schools, because at this age they are more amenable to listen to outsiders than their parents. Media can also help in this problem by projecting the harmful effects of junk food and promoting use of healthy food.  Adolescents are the future of any society and keeping them healthy should be concern for all.

Dr. Rachna Pande Specialist internal medicine

E-mail-rachna212002@yahoo.co.uk