Factors About Teenagers

Increasingly unhealthy diets, inactive lifestyles, mental ill-health, alcohol and tobacco use, and environmental risks such as air pollution are some of the most prominent issues facing adolescents today.

In addition, teenagers are the highest consumers of junk foods like soda, sweets, cookies, chips, fries, burgers and pizzas which in turn increases the risk of weight gain and obesity among the youth. A balanced diet for teenagers should include a daily supply of complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. In this article, we have mentioned four separate diet plans for teenage boys and girls based on their lifestyle - sedentary and active.

For adolescent girls, the onset of puberty brings additional threats. Poverty and discriminatory social and gender norms can restrict girls' life choices and exclude them from educational, social and economic opportunities. Each year, an estimated 23 million adolescent girls become pregnant. Maternal mortality - in many cases linked to child marriage - is a leading cause of death for girls aged 15-19.

Mental health conditions also take an immense toll. Over half of these conditions surface during the second decade, with depression emerging as a leading cause of adolescent illness and disability.

What's more, some 70 per cent of premature deaths are associated with behaviors, like smoking or binge drinking, that arise during adolescence. Most are linked to non-communicable diseases, including diabetes and pollution-related conditions.

These habits and facts of teens may also be the reasons of having unaware diseases.

• Skipping breakfast
• Eating too much from the "other" food group
• Dining out often
• Drinking soft drinks
• Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder
• Fad diets, supplements for skin and hair, and energy drinks
• Nutritional issues such as anemia, overweight, and obesity

Common Illnesses

Common illnesses among teenagers are somewhat unique as well. Although teens are exposed to the same germs as the rest of us, certain illnesses and conditions are more common in this age group than at other times in our lives.

The Common Cold

There's a reason that the cold is called common. It is the most commonly occurring illness in the world. Adults on average get two to five colds per year, but children can get them seven to 10 times per year.1 Teenagers fall into the adult range on this one. However, colds can be caused by over 200 different viruses,2 so it's easy to catch them repeatedly.

Influenza (the Flu)

Although many people blow off the flu as nothing more than a bad cold, it is quite the opposite. Instead of a gradual worsening of symptoms over several days (which is how cold symptoms progress), flu symptoms hit you suddenly and all at once. Most people who get the flu describe it as feeling like they have been hit by a truck.

Otherwise healthy teens usually recover from the flu without any complications, the condition can be deadly. In fact, one common trait among pandemic flu strains (such as the pandemic flu of 1918 and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic) is that they disproportionately kill young, healthy people—often teenagers.

Strep Throat

Strep Throat is an infection in the throat caused by the Streptococcus bacterium. It is most common in school-aged children between the ages of 5 and 15.3. Because it is caused by a bacteria rather than a virus, it usually needs to be treated with antibiotics.

Symptoms of strep throat include a sore throat, fever, headache, swollen glands in the neck, and sometimes white patches in the throat. These can also be symptoms of viral infections, though, so it's important to see a healthcare provider if you think you might have strep. They can do an exam and swab the throat to test for the bacterium causing strep throat.

Mononucleosis

Mononucleosis, or mono, is sometimes called the kissing disease. It earned this nickname because it is most common among teenagers, and it is spread through the saliva. Mono is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) most commonly but can also be caused by the cytomegalovirus (CMV), which remains in your body for life.

Symptoms of mono include severe fatigue, fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and sore muscles. Since these symptoms can be caused by many different illnesses, see your healthcare provider for an exam and blood test to determine if you actually have mono.

Symptoms can linger for months and people who have mono can be contagious for up to 18 months and sporadically throughout their lives.

If you get sick with mono (many people who have been exposed to the virus never have symptoms), you are unlikely to get it again. This infection can be passed by any means that transfers saliva and body fluids, such as kissing, sharing utensils, toothbrushes, drinks, and even lip balm.

Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu)

[Gastroenteritis], more commonly called the stomach flu, is a frequent illness among teens. It is highly contagious,6 especially when someone who is infected doesn't wash their hands well. The virus can be spread to surfaces and then picked up by another person who unknowingly infects themselves when they touch their eyes, nose, or mouth.

Vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and occasionally fever are common. They can last anywhere from a few hours to several days. Fortunately, these illnesses are self-limiting, meaning they will go away on their own and typically don't require treatment. The biggest concern when you have the stomach flu is dehydration. If you can't keep any fluids down at all for several hours, seek medical attention.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

Sexually transmitted infections, sometimes called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are increasingly common among teens.8 Gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HPV (human papillomavirus), HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and hepatitis are just some of the diseases that can affect teenagers.

Even before you or your teen is sexually active, it's important to know how these diseases can affect the body, how they can be prevented, and what steps to take if you are exposed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are 20 million new cases of STDs diagnosed each year, and half of those are among teens and young adults between the ages of 15 and 24.

Healthy Foods to Be Included in Ideal Diet Plan for Teenagers

The benefits of eating fruits and vegetables to lose weight is well known but fruits and vegetables are also the best natural sources of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and healthy fats that help in maintaining the healthy functioning of the body. Here is a complete list of healthy diet foods ranging from all food groups that can be included in the balanced diet for teenagers.

• Calcium Rich Foods - Milk, cheese, yogurt, soybeans, tofu and nuts
• Vitamin D Rich Foods - Breakfast cereals, margarine, oily fishes
• [Natural Protein Foods] - Red meat, fish, pulses, cereals, green vegetables
• Folate-Rich Foods - Brown rice, green vegetables, fortified breakfast cereals and bread
• Vitamin C Rich Foods - Citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes, potatoes

Healthy 1600 Calorie and 2400 Calorie Diet Charts for Teenage Girls

Obesity and overweight issues have become the epidemic of modern times, and it is more common among adolescent people. But the burning question of how to overcome obesity in children and adolescents can be answered with the right food choices and daily physical activity. Teenage girls are more sensitive about the weight, and they often develop disordered eating habits such as starving themselves or skipping meals in order fit in the popular social image. The daily calorie intake of teenage girls should range between 1600 to 2400 calories, 1600 calories for girls with more or less sedentary lifestyle and 2400 calories for girls with an active lifestyle.

Importance of a Balanced Diet Plan for Teenage Girls

Healthy diets for teens should have optimum nutritional balance because girls are still growing at this stage.

• The daily calorie intake must be just appropriate, neither too many nor too few.
• The calories provide the energy for daily activities and help in increasing height and maintaining healthy body weight.
• Becoming obese during adolescence leads to a lifetime of health problems.
• Overweight issues during teenage lead to early onset of chronic diseases like high cholesterol, heart diseases, hypertension, sleep apnea, asthma, and type 2 diabetes.
• Being overweight at this tender age also affects the youth's self-esteem, leading to poor social and academic performance.
• Teenage girls who tend to starve themselves or do not eat enough calories have a higher risk of anemia, poor bone development, and irregular menstruation.
• A balanced diet for teenagers should include carbohydrates, healthy fats, and proteins.
• Healthy fats present in olive oil, nuts and avocados help with vitamin absorption and 25 to 35% of the daily calories should be derived from fats.
• Fats also help in regulating hormones that determine healthy skin and hair.
• Carbohydrates like whole grains, vegetables and fruits provide energy for everyday activities, 50 to 60 percent of daily calories should come from carbohydrates.
• It is best to avoid the ingestion of unhealthy fats like saturated fats and trans fats found in cheese, butter, fatty cuts of meat, baked goods, fried foods
• Try to be physically active at least for 1 hour every day.

Healthy 1800 Calorie and 2600 Calorie Diet Charts for Teenage Boys

Teenage is that phase of life which is marked by drastic changes and rapid growth. These physical changes and growth explains the avid hunger that teenage boys experience. This is because at this stage, the body requires more calories and energy, much more compared to adults and younger kids. And teenage boys need more calories compared to teenage girls due to their higher rate of metabolism. The ideal diet for teenage boys should have optimum nutrition along with daily workouts to lose fat and remain healthy. In case of boys, the daily calories required per day range between 1800 to 2600 calories, 1800 calories for boys with a sedentary lifestyle and 2600 calories for boys with an active lifestyle.

Importance of a Balanced Diet Plan for Teenage Boys

Healthy diets for teenagers, especially for boys must include specific nutrient-rich foods because their growing body have special nutritional requirements, unlike adults or younger children.

• 45 to 65% of the total calories should come from carbs, 25 to 35% from healthy fats and 10 to 30% from proteins.
• Proteins aid the body to increase lean muscle mass, which usually doubles between the age of 11 to 17 years.
• But it is important to choose healthy source of protein like meats, fish, eggs, cheese, lentils, nuts, beans, and seeds.
• Carbohydrates are the main source of energy; therefore, it is important to choose the carbs wisely.
• Avoid simple carbs such as soda, sugar, white flour and white rice and choose complex carbs instead like whole grains like whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice along with fruits and vegetables.
• Avoid saturated fats that are found in fries and burgers and choose unsaturated fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds, fatty fish and avocados.
• Though, calcium is the [most abundant mineral in our body], both calcium and iron are of particular importance for teen boys.
• While calcium promotes healthy growth and development of bones, iron increases the formation of lean muscle mass.

Benefits of Exercises and Physical Activity for Teenagers

• Weight Management - Adolescence is the stage when people become more conscious about their physical appearance. But an attractive physique does not mean a sickly body; it means a healthy and toned body with greater amount of lean muscles rather than fat. And this can be achieved through a combination of diet and exercises. Workouts burn calories and tone the muscle and help in weight management. Teenagers should try to devote at least 60 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity every day for best results.
• Aerobic Exercises - Aerobic exercise and sport activities such as football, basketball, tennis, hiking, dancing, swimming, running and cycling helps in improving heart health by enhancing the breathing rate and strengthening the heart muscles. It also boosts energy levels and aids the teens to remain physically active for longer period of time without getting fatigued.
• Strength Training - Strength training workouts like push ups, squats, pull ups, leg raises and crunches helps to develop stronger muscles, bones and joints which in turn reduces the risk of injury. These exercises also help in maintaining healthy weight by burning calories.
• Improved Mental Health - All types of physical exercises promotes the release of the feel-good chemical endorphin that helps in improving mood and reducing the risk of depression in teens. It aids in providing restful sleep which in turn enhances thinking capacity, learning skills and academic performance. In addition, it provides a boost to self-esteem and builds self-confidence.
• Prevention of Diseases - Chronic diseases are no longer restricted to aging adults; they are also becoming common among young adults and teenagers. Regular exercises during the early stages of life helps to keep obesity and overweight issues at bay which, in turn reduces the risk of developing heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer in future. Weight-bearing exercises like brisk walking, jumping ropes, and jogging also increases bone density and limit the chances of developing osteoporosis later in life.