NUTRITIONAL NEEDS

Adolescence is a phase of rapid and continuous physical, mental and sexual growth and development. Increased nutritional needs during adolescence relate to the fact that adolescents gain up to 50% of their adult weight, more than 20% of their adult height and 50% of their adult skeletal/bone mass during this period.  Adolescent girls also need additional requirements of iron to compensate for menstrual blood loss, and of calcium, which gives strength to bones. 
The quality of food consumed by adolescents during this phase will help them in their adult life too. In order to take care of the body needs during adolescence, a diet rich in carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins such as iron, minerals such as calcium should be consumed.  Grains/cereals, pulses/legumes, milk and milk products and green leafy vegetables should be consumed in greater quantity.

Anemia

Anemia, the loss of oxygen carrying capacity of the blood due to deficiency of hemoglobin in the red blood cells, is a major nutrition problem in adolescent boys and girls in India.  The ill effects of anemia can be seen as-

• Reduced capacity to work and thus decreased productivity. 
• In girls, iron deficiency occurs due to menstruation in addition to the spurt in muscular growth if it is not adequately supplemented.  Anemia in pregnancy leads to low birth weight babies and leads to anemia – related complications in mothers.  This increases the morbidity and mortality in both the mothers and the babies born to them. 
• Anemia may increase susceptibility to infections by impairing the immune functions. 

How can it be prevented?

Increase the intake of green leafy vegetables, puffed rice, jaggery, red meat, whole pulses which are rich sources of iron.  For better absorption of iron, take fruits rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruits and sprouted grains.  If adolescents look pale, fatigued or listless and anemia is suspected, refer to the nearest PHC/qualified medical practitioner.

Factors Influencing Nutrition of Adolescents

• Related to their body image.
• Social reasons- girls and woman eating leftovers after the male members of the family have eaten.
• Lack of knowledge in the family and community about the importance of nutrition during adolescence.
• Lack of food because of socio-economic circumstances.
• Inequitable distribution of food in the family with the female children being denied nutritious food.
• Poor dietary intake of food and vegetables rich in iron and folate.
• Hookworm infestation.
• Bad cooking habits.
• Perpetuation of a vicious cycle of malnutrition and infection, which might begin even before birth and may have more serious consequences for the girl child.
• Eating in a tense/angry mood.
• Food fads, and excluding certain foods.
• Dieting/fasting.

Malnutrition affects development

Intake of nutrients is less than the recommended daily allowances for adolescents below the age of 18 years both for boys and girls in rural India (NNMB 2001).  More than 70 percent of girls in the age group of 10-19 years suffer from severe or moderate anemia (DLHS-RCH 2004).  Adolescent mothers are at higher risks of miscarriages, maternal mortality and are more prone to giving birth to stillborn and underweight babies.  Iodine deficiency disorders can lead to growth retardation and retard mental development.  Only half in India the households use iodized salt for cooking in India (MICS 2000).