Eating healthily: a serious problem for many teenagers

In the adolescence, many teenagers have an enormous appetite, which is quite logical because they trough a period of very intense growing. On average, girls grow 9 cm per year whereas boys grow even 11 cm per year. The adolescence for girls starts at the age of 12 until 16. Boys start their growing period from the age of 14, but they grow on till the age of 18-19 years. Eating well and eating sufficient quantities is essential during this period. Teenagers require 2200 – 2600 kcal per day, which equals an adults’ portion.

Unfortunately, teenagers often eat far from healthy. The adolescence also includes experimentation and disobedient behaviour to the parents. Many teenagers don't want to eat healthily. They prefer a visit to the snackbar or they prefer to buy junk food in the school's restaurant instead of having a healthy lunch. They prefer soft drinks to water, fruit drinks and milk. Furthermore, teenagers are consuming enormous quantities of crisps, cookies, chocolate and other kinds of candy. This leads to deficiency of essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. And on top of that: it has a huge negative impact on their weight.

Investigation pointed out that during the teenage period especially girls eat too little. On average, they eat just three slices of bread, two potatoes and less than one portion of fruit per day. This results in a lack of essential nutrients and energy (calories). To satisfy their hungry feeling, they often take a bar of chocolate of a packet of crisps.

Parents can easily do something to support them. Teenagers give much attention to their appearance. So as a parent, you should take advantage of that aspect and tell them that that they become overweighed by eating unhealthily. Of course you should also give the good example yourself, provide them with healthy meals at home. Don't make a habit of taking them to the snackbar every week. You should also encourage them to take up some type of sport.

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