Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyle of Adolescents

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Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyle of Adolescents

• Nutrition Month
• National Nutrition Council
• July 2007

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2007 Nutrition Month Theme
Healthy lifestyle ng kabataan, landas sa
kinabukasan!
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Adolescence

• period of transition between childhood and
  adulthood, ages 10-19 (WHO)
• often referred to as puberty

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Changes adolescents undergo

• Fast growth and physical maturation
• Reaches the peak of weight and height
• Development of secondary characteristics, i.e.
  deeper voice in voice in males, development of
  breasts in girls
• Changes in physical, social, emotional and mental
  state start to appear

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Adolescence

• Period of exploration and learning
• Good time to establish proper health and
  nutrition practices and behaviors
• Expanding relationship and friendships
• Influence lifestyles and behaviors

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Nutritional Status of Filipino Adolescents

• Among adolescents, 11-12 years old
• 49 in every 100 have normal weights for their
  height
• 26 in every 100 are underweight
• 20 in every 100 are mildly underweight
• 4 in every 100 are overweight

Source 6th National Nutrition Survey, DOST-FNRI
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Nutritional Status of Filipino Adolescents

• Among adolescents, 13-19 years old
• 68 in every 100 have normal weights for their
  height
• 12 in every 100 are underweight
• 17 in every 100 are mildly underweight
• 3 in every 100 are overweight

Source 6th National Nutrition Survey, DOST-FNRI
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Nutritional Status of Adolescents, 11-19 years
old, using Body Mass Index. NNS 2003, FNRI-DOST.
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Trends in the prevalence of underweight and
overweight among adolescents using Body Mass
Index Philippines, 1993-2003.
Source Philippine Nutrition Facts and Figures
2003, FNRI-DOST. October 2006.
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Consequences of poor nutrition among adolescents
Poor school performance
Slow growth and development
Poor nutrition among adolescents
Poor nutrition in adulthood
Sluggishness
Unhappy
Easy fatigability
Delay in the onset of secondary sex
characteristics
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Why are adolescents undernourished?

• Not enough food to eat
• Access to empty calorie, less nutritious foods
• Poor eating habits
• Unhealthy lifestyle practices

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Nutrient needs of adolescents
Source Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes.
Philippines, 2002 Edition. Food and Nutrition
Research Institute-Department of Science and
Technology.
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Nutrient needs of adolescents
a-tocopherol
Source Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes.
Philippines, 2002 Edition. Food and Nutrition
Research Institute-Department of Science and
Technology.
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Nutrient needs of adolescents
Source Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes.
Philippines, 2002 Edition. Food and Nutrition
Research Institute-Department of Science and
Technology.
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Nutrient needs of adolescents
Source Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes.
Philippines, 2002 Edition. Food and Nutrition
Research Institute-Department of Science and
Technology.
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Nutrient needs of adolescents
Source Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes.
Philippines, 2002 Edition. Food and Nutrition
Research Institute-Department of Science and
Technology.
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Nutrient needs of adolescents

• Males have higher needs than females for energy,
  protein, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin,
  vitamin K, magnesium, zinc, fluoride, manganese
• Females have higher needs for iron
• Energy and nutrient needs generally higher during
  early adolescence

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Important nutrients for adolescents

• Protein
• To support rapid growth and development
• Calcium
• For bone development and calcium stores for peak
  bone mass
• Sources are milk and dairy foods, fish with
  edible bones, green leafy vegetables

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Important nutrients for adolescents

• Iron
• For growth spurts
• For iron stores to prevent anemia
• Compensate for blood loss during menstruation
  among females

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Important nutrients for adolescents

• Phosphorus and Magnesium
• Works in coordination with calcium for bone
  development
• Zinc
• To support growth and development of secondary
  sex characteristics

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Feeding the adolescent . . . what to eat?
Promotes
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Eat a variety of foods every day!
GROW
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Proper Diet GO foods
Source Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos.
Revised Edition 2000. Food and Nutrition Research
Institute-Department of Science and Technology.
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Proper Diet GO foods
Source Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos.
Revised Edition 2000. Food and Nutrition Research
Institute-Department of Science and Technology.
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Proper Diet GROW foods
Source Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos.
Revised Edition 2000. Food and Nutrition Research
Institute-Department of Science and Technology.
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Proper Diet GROW foods
Source Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos.
Revised Edition 2000. Food and Nutrition Research
Institute-Department of Science and Technology.
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Proper Diet GLOW foods
Source Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos.
Revised Edition 2000. Food and Nutrition Research
Institute-Department of Science and Technology.
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Proper Diet GLOW foods
Source Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos.
Revised Edition 2000. Food and Nutrition Research
Institute-Department of Science and Technology.
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Nutrition and health concerns of adolescents
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a. Skipping meals

• Reasons for skipping breakfast
• Lack of time
• Lack of appetite
• Preference for sleep
• Spending more time for personal appearance

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a. Skipping meals

• Reasons for skipping breakfast
• No one to eat with
• Acceptance of no-breakfast habit among peer group
• Lack of prepared breakfast at home

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Other reasons for skipping meals

• Commitments in school
• Tiredness

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Prevent skipping meals

• Encourage adolescents to make time for a good meal

• maintains concentration in school, prepare the
  body for work and sports and keeps one healthy.

Good meal
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Prevent skipping breakfast

• Encourage adolescent to eat breakfast to prevent
  bingeing or overeating or frequent nibbling
• Remind adolescents that skipping breakfast will
  not make one lose weight

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Prevent skipping breakfast

• Encourage adolescents to sleep early and wake up
  early so they have time for breakfast.
• Ensure that breakfast is ready before adolescents
  and family members leave the home.

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Prevent skipping breakfast

• Join the adolescent in their meals
• When eating breakfast is not possible, pack
  nutritious breakfast or snacks for family members

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b. Poor meals/lunch

• Poor food choices
• Eating hurried lunches to catch up with classes
• Eating less for fear of becoming overweight

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b. Poor meals/lunch

• Belief that some foods can cause pimples or acne
• Absence of a companion to eat with
• Not enough money to buy nutritious meals

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c. Poor snacking

• Preference for
• fast foods
• Preferences for street foods such as kwek-kwek,
  fish balls
• Consumption of carbonated drinks, salty chips,
  sweets and sugary drinks

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d. Practice of fad diets

• Experiment with different diets for weight loss
  or improve build
• Own diet e.g. replace meals with crackers and
  water
• Popular diets promoted by media or celebrities

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e. Eating disorders

• Anorexia nervosa
• loss of appetite due to psychological fear of
  being fat
• energy intake is reduced and energy output is
  increased by excessive exercise
• result to severe nutritional deficiency,
  cessation of menstruation, and even death

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e. Eating disorders

• Bulimia
• Person binges or eats a lot of food in a short
  time and purges or induces vomiting to get rid of
  food
• Individuals with bulimia have low self-esteem and
  sense of control

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e. Eating disorders

• 2. Bulimia
• Negative effects are

• irregular heart beat
• weakened heart muscle
• heart failure
• low blood pressure and pulse rate
• sore throat

• irritated esophagus
• dehydration
• irregular bowel movement or constipation
• irregular or absent monthly period

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Addressing eating disorders

• More than just eating disorders it is
  psychological
• Consult with dietitian, psychologist or medical
  doctor to come up with an effective treatment plan

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Addressing eating disorders

• Parents should give comfort and support during
  treatment
• Give love, compassion, appreciation and quality
  time

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f. Substance abuse

• Consumption of alcohol, drugs, cigarettes
• Aside from physical effects, these also reduce
  absorption of nutrients

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Healthy Lifestyle for Adolescents
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What is healthy lifestyle?

• Way of life that promotes and protects health and
  well-being
• Department of Health

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Why is a healthy lifestyle important?

• Prevents dreaded chronic diseases
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Cancers
• Respiratory ailments
• Prevents early death

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How can adolescents achieve a healthy lifestyle?

• Have a good diet.

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Ensuring nutritious meals

• Eat a variety of foods everyday
• Increase consumption of vegetables to at least
  2-3 servings a day, e.g. leafy like alugbati,
  saluyot, malunggay, kamote tops, kangkong and
  yellow like squash
• Eat at least 2-3 servings of fruits everyday
• WHO recommends 400 grams/day 9 servings of
  fruits and vegetables

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Ensuring nutritious meals

• Choose diet
• With plenty of grain products
• Low in fat, saturated fats and cholesterol
• Moderate in sugars and salt
• Rich in calcium and iron

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Ensuring nutritious meals

• Buy nutritious snacks foods
• Remind adolescent to choose food wisely when
  eating out
• Bring packed nutritious meals/snacks

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Ensuring nutritious meals

• Prepare nutritious and appetizing foods at home

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Ensuring nutritious meals

• Teach adolescents of negative consequences of fad
  diets to their health
• Misinformation may pose health risk to
  adolescents
• More prone to develop chronic diseases such as
  diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases, even
  become more overweight

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How can adolescents achieve a healthy lifestyle?

• Balance the amount of food eaten with physical
  activity to maintain weight.

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Maintain energy balance

• Energy balance
• Energy from food energy used for physical
  activity
• If energy from food gt energy used weight gain
• If energy from food lt energy used weight loss

INPUT Calories from food
OUTPUT Calories used during PA
The Energy Balance
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3. Exercise regularly.

• Do moderate-intensity physical activity

10
minutes at a time for
30
minutes a day at least
5
days a week
Source Philippine Association for the Study of
Overweight and Obesity (PASOO)
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How can adolescents achieve a healthy lifestyle?

• Do not smoke.
• The best rule is never to start smoking because
  once the habit is established giving up smoking
  will not be easy.

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How can adolescents achieve a healthy lifestyle?

• Avoid alcohol

• 1 ½ oz distilled beverage e.g. gin
• 12 oz or 1 bottle beer
• 4 oz of ½ glass wine
• 1 oz or 1 jigger of 100 proof whiskey

1 drink
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How can adolescents achieve a healthy lifestyle?

• Manage stress
• avoid excess caffeine intake reduce feelings of
  anxiety and agitation,
• learn relaxation exercises like abdominal
  breathing and muscle relaxation techniques

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How can adolescents achieve a healthy lifestyle?

• Manage stress
• have a positive outlook
• take a break from stressful situations like doing
  things that you love most

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How can adolescents achieve a healthy lifestyle?

• Manage stress
• learn practical coping skills like breaking large
  tasks into smaller and more feasible tasks
• seek friends who can help them cope in a positive
  way

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The pregnant adolescent

• Increases risk of undernutrition and anemia
  because of demand of pregnancy and physical
  development
• Brings physical and psychological stress

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Taking care of the pregnant adolescent

• Plan her diet carefully to consider increased
  energy and nutrient needs
• Micronutrient supplementation especially iron and
  calcium
• Increase food intake

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Taking care of the pregnant adolescent

• Family should be supportive and more sympathetic
• Ensure prenatal and postnatal care

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Health and nutrition programs for adolescents

• Reproductive health
• Adolescent and Youth Health Program and
  Development (DOH)
• Includes awareness on adolescents sexuality and
  reproductive health
• Advocacy on sexual awareness through education
  and value formation (NGOs like Foundation for
  Adolescent Development)

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Health and nutrition programs for adolescents

• 2. Nutrition education
• Integrated in health and nutrition subjects or in
  Technology and Livelihood Education (DepED)
• Fora and seminars are also conducted during
  Nutrition Month celebration

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Health and nutrition programs for adolescents

• 3. Promotion of healthy lifestyle
• Program on healthy eating places
• Promotion of exercise
• Promotion of No Smoking
• Sports development

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Health and nutrition programs for adolescents

• 4. Policies for the youth
• The Medium Term Youth Development Plan (MTYDP) as
  the national framework for youth development
  (National Youth Commission)
• Youth development in education, skills
  development, reproductive health and control of
  substance abuse, etc.

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Health and nutrition programs for adolescents

• 4. Policies for the youth
• Child 21 or the Philippine National Strategic
  Framework for Plan Development for Children
  provides framework to promote and safeguard the
  rights of Filipino children

• education
• information
• freedom of expression
• thought

• conscience
• religion
• association
• right to privacy

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Actions to promote healthy lifestyle of
adolescents

• Provide a supportive family environment
• Ensure nutritious meals are available with
  special attention to nutritious breakfast.
• Parents as role models of good nutrition.
• Engage in physical activities among family
  members.

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Actions to promote healthy lifestyle of
adolescents

• Foster nutrition-friendly schools
• School canteens and cafeterias to provide a
  variety of options of nutritious but affordable
  meals and snacks.
• Promote the sale of safe and nutritious foods
  among vendors in the vicinity of the school.
• Integrate nutrition in the secondary education
  curriculum.

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Actions to promote healthy lifestyle of
adolescents

• Foster nutrition-friendly schools
• Conduct nutrition assessment.
• Ensure that students have enough time for snacks
  in the morning and afternoon.

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Actions to promote healthy lifestyle of
adolescents

• Foster nutrition-friendly schools
• Conduct forum, discussions, seminars on nutrition
  and healthy lifestyles to increase awareness and
  to clarify misconceptions about nutrition.
• an opportunity for adolescents to express their
  opinions.

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Actions to promote healthy lifestyle of
adolescents

• Community and local government support for
  adolescent nutrition and healthy lifestyle
• Conduct community assemblies on proper nutrition
  and healthy lifestyles.
• The Sangguniang Kabataan can conduct nutrition
  assessment among the youth in coordination with
  municipal/city nutrition office.

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Actions to promote healthy lifestyle of
adolescents

• Community and local government support for
  adolescent nutrition and healthy lifestyle
• Provide iron supplements especially for female
  adolescents.
• Promote sport activities.

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Actions to promote healthy lifestyle of
adolescents

• Community and local government support for
  adolescent nutrition and healthy lifestyle
• Enforce an ordinance banning children from
  purchasing cigarettes and alcoholic beverages and
  or regulating the sale of junk foods.

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Actions to promote healthy lifestyle of
adolescents

• Community and local government support for
  adolescent nutrition and healthy lifestyle
• Engage adolescents in community nutrition
  programs such as Operation Timbang, nutrition
  education, food production programs and
  participate in decision-making.

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Actions to promote healthy lifestyle of
adolescents

• Community and local government support for
  adolescent nutrition and healthy lifestyle
• Sangguniang Kabataan to allocate a portion of the
  SK fund for nutrition program for adolescents.

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Actions to promote healthy lifestyle of
adolescents

• Community and local government support for
  adolescent nutrition and healthy lifestyle
• Organize adolescent counseling programs to
  address psychological and social aspects of
  adolescent stresses.
• Provide reproductive health services especially
  to avoid teenage pregnancies

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Actions to promote healthy lifestyle of
adolescents

• Media and civil society
• Promote a healthy body image of adolescents as
  not being too thin but that of having normal
  weight.
• Promote nutrition by providing correct
  information especially about fad diets which
  adolescents are likely to experiment with.

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In summary. . .

• 1. The adolescent needs proper nutrition to
  support rapid growth and development.
• 2. About 37 of adolescents do not have normal
  nutritional states.

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In summary. . .

• 3. Nutrient needs are not met because of lack of
  food, poor food choices and unhealthy lifestyle.
• 4. Promote and support adolescents to practice
  healthy lifestyle to address various health and
  nutrition concerns.

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In summary. . .

• 5. Nutrition programs for adolescents are
  limited and these should be assessed and
  strengthened to improve nutritional status of
  adolescents in preparation for adult life.

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Thank you!