Nutrition - Adolescent
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_Breakfast_Program#/media/File:20111...
Adolescent Nutrition FAQs
MY TEEN IS EATING A VEGAN DIET. WHAT SHOULD I KNOW?
It is important to ensure adequate supplies of vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, and protein. Supplement Vitamin B12 at the recommended dietary allowance of 2.4mcg daily. Also supplement vitamin D 15mcg daily. Milks and milk alternatives should be chosen to ensure fortification with calcium and vitamin D. Adequate iron intake can be green leafy vegetables, legumes, and iron-fortified grain products. Consuming citrus fruits or tomatoes high in vitamin C concomitantly to iron-rich foods can help increase iron absorption. Ensuring adequate protein in the diet requires ensuring intake of proteins which supply all nine essential amino acids. Animal proteins are considered “complete” proteins because they contain all nine amino acids. Soy is the only vegetable protein which is also considered “complete”. Other sources of proteins can be combined to optimize so that complementary foods provide adequate sources of all amino acids.
IS CAFFEINE BAD FOR MY TEEN?
Adults can safely consume up to 400mg of caffeine daily. The recommended limit for teens is 100mg daily. Children younger than 12 should not consume caffeine at all. Caffeine consumption in children is related to sleep disorders, increased risk for anxiety, and greater susceptibility to caffeine withdrawal. One can of Monster Energy Drink contains 160 mg of caffeine.
HOW DO I MAKE SURE MY TEEN IS EATING ENOUGH (BUT NOT TOO MUCH)?
Children will naturally know how much to eat to satisfy their hunger, and when to stop if they are full. Overeating and undereating are a result of extrinsic pressures often coming from parents, such as using food as a reward or punishment, or force-feeding vegetables, or restricting certain food groups. A good approach to ensuring healthy eating habits in children is to allow the child to dictate how much to eat, while the parent sets clear boundaries for what to eat, when to eat, and in what setting to eat. Parents should be advised to provide an array of healthy food selections for the child to choose from. Food should be offered only at established, well-spaced meal and snack times; if the child does not choose to eat at this time then they know they will need to wait until the next feeding time. Food should be consumed at a pleasant dinner table with the family; not while watching TV or during play.
HOW MANY CALORIES DOES MY TEEN NEED DAILY?
Caloric intake required depends on energy expenditure required. The net caloric intake for teen boys should be 2000-2300 calories daily. The net caloric intake for teen boys should be 1700-2000 calories daily. In practice, kids will require caloric energy far above these numbers as they typically have higher energy expenditure.
References
1. Savage JS, Fisher JO, Birch LL. Parental influence on eating behavior: conception to adolescence. J Law Med Ethics. 2007
2. Le LT, Sabaté J. Beyond meatless, the health effects of vegan diets: findings from the Adventist cohorts. Nutrients. 2014
3. U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary guidelines for Americans. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Dietary_Gu... . Accessed March 20, 2022.
4. Gidding, Samuel S., et al. “Dietary Recommendations for Children and Adolescents.” Circulation, vol. 112, no. 13, 2005, pp. 2061–2075., https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.105.169251.
