Adolescent Nutrition Essay -- Health Nutrition Pyramid Diet

During adolescence there is a high susceptibility to nutritional deficiencies and poor eating habits. This may lead to problems later on in life such as osteoporosis, obesity, hyperlipedemia, sexual maturation delays, and final adult height. The development of eating disorders is also prominent during this time. Adolescents require extra nutrients due to a growth spurt, which girls experience during the ages of 10 or 11, reaches its peak at age 12 and is completed by about age 15. In boys, it begins at 12 or 13 years of age, peaks at age 14 and ends by about age 19. Adequate amounts of iron and calcium are important as the adolescent body undergoes the growth period. At the ages of 9 to 18 years, both males and females are encouraged to have a calcium rich diet in order to have proper calcium deposits in the bones. This may help reduce obtaining osteoporosis in later years. Eating disorders are also common among teens whose food choices are influenced by society’s pressures to have the ideal look. Some eating disorders are classified as anorexia, bulimia, compulsive overeating or binge eating. Both anorexia and bulimia can lead to convulsions, kidney failure, irregular heartbeats, osteoporosis and dental erosion. Adolescents suffering from compulsive overeating disorder are at risk for heart attack, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, kidney disease, arthritis, and stroke. Healthy eating during adolescence is important because an individual's nutritional and dieta...