Teen ageers Health care

 Weight

Increasing numbers of children of all ages are above a healthy weight. Those who are obese in their early teens are more likely to remain so as adults, increasing their risk of preventable health conditions including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

To help your teenager maintain a healthy weight try to encourage them to:

• Enjoy a healthy and varied diet
• Limit the amount of foods, drinks and snacks that are high in fat and sugar  
• Be active for at least 60 minutes a day

Positive body image

Teenagers may begin to think about their body shape and compare themselves to their peers and people they see on social media. 

What to feed your teenager

A healthy and balanced diet should include: 

• At least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
• Meals based on starchy foods such as potatoes, bread, pasta and rice. Choose wholegrain varieties when possible.
• Some milk and dairy products or alternatives. Choose semi or semi-skimmed milk where you can.
• Some foods that are good sources of protein such as meat, fish, eggs, beans and lentils.

Fruit and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables provide a range of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Aim for 5 portions a day of a range of colors to give a good mix of different nutrients. The recommended portion size is around 80g or the amount you can hold in one hand. Fresh, frozen, tinned and dried can all count. Juiced fruits and vegetables or smoothies can be included, but only count as 1 of our 5 a day portions (limited to a 150ml serving). Remember to wash all fresh fruit and vegetables.

Tips

Including some vegetables, salad or fruit at each meal and as snacks can help to meet the ‘5 a day’ recommendation. 

Dairy foods and alternatives

Dairy foods and alternatives such as milk, cheese, and yoghurt are rich sources of calcium needed to build and protect our bones. These foods also contain some protein and other helpful nutrients. The Eatwell Guide recommends 3 portions of milk and dairy foods each day. Examples of one portion would be 30g cheddar cheese or 125g yoghurt or 200ml milk. Choose semi or skimmed milks, low fat yoghurts and reduced fat cheeses to help limit fat intake without compromising on calcium as they contain similar amounts to full fat /whole milk versions. 

It is important to check the food labels of alternative dairy options such as soya, oat, almond, and coconut milks to be sure that they are fortified with calcium. Choosing unsweetened varieties are also helpful as they contain less sugar. 

Tips

Don’t forget that custard and rice or milk puddings can count as one of our ‘dairy and alternatives’ portions – choose lower fat varieties as quick and nutritious snacks and add some fruit.

Protein rich foods

Some protein rich foods such as beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat, meat alternatives and nuts should be included daily. The Eatwell Guide recommends 2 portions of meat or fish every day or 2-3 portions of vegetarian alternatives. Protein supports the daily repair and renewal of cells in the body. Many of these foods provide a rich source of minerals like iron, which is needed to make healthy red blood cells and is especially important for growing teens and for girls during menstruation. Beans and pulses are also an excellent source of fiber as well as protein. Oily fish such as salmon and sardines are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids – aim include oily fish once a week.

Tips

Include less processed meat and fish products with meals such as crumb-coated foods, bacon, ham, burgers, pies, sausages and canned meats. These are less healthy options because of the amounts of salt and fat added during production.

Vitamin C helps with the absorption of iron from plant sources so having a drink or food containing vitamin C with an iron-rich meal is a good idea, for example a glass of fruit juice with a bowl of iron fortified cereal.

Oils and spreads

Unsaturated fats are healthier types of fat and include vegetable, rapeseed, olive and sunflower oils. It is important to remember that all types of fat are high in energy and so just use these in small amounts.

Foods high in fat, salt sugars

Food and drinks that are high in fat, sugar or salt are not essential in the diet as they contain very little nutrition compared to foods from the main food groups. Items like cakes, biscuits, crisps, sweets and chocolate can be included as part of a healthy balanced diet but should be eaten less often and in smaller amounts.

Vitamin D

During the autumn and winter, we need to get vitamin D from our diet because the sun is not strong enough for the body to make vitamin D. However, it is difficult to get enough vitamin D from food alone. Public Health Wales recommend that adults and children take a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter.

Between late March/ early April to the end of September, most people can make all the vitamin D they need through sunlight on their skin and from a balanced diet so you may not need a vitamin D supplement during these months.

Drinks

Aim to drink 6 to 8 glasses of fluid every day. Water, lower fat milk and sugar-free drinks including tea and coffee all count. Fruit juice and smoothies also count towards your fluid consumption, although they are a source of free sugars so limit to no more than a combined total of 150ml per day.

Sugary drinks are one of the main contributors to excess sugar consumption amongst teenagers in the UK. Swap sugary soft drinks for diet, sugar-free or no added sugar varieties to reduce sugar intake.

Energy drinks are popular with young people but can be high in calories, caffeine and other stimulants. Drinking these can cause disturbed sleep, irritability, stomach upsets and feeling agitated. Water and milk are healthier drinks to consume and teenagers can get all the energy they need from a healthy balanced diet.

Top Tips

When choosing drinks, you should try to:

• Swap sugary drinks for water or lower fat milk
• Limit fruit juice and smoothies to 150mls once a day, preferably at a mealtime
• Reduce the number of fizzy drinks
• Cut back on sugar added to tea and coffee
• Avoid energy drinks

Make sure they don’t skip breakfast

Evidence also shows that eating a healthy breakfast at the start of the school day can contribute to improved readiness to learn, increased concentration, and improved wellbeing and behavior.

Some quick and nutritious breakfast ideas include: 

• Wholegrain toast with spread, glass of orange juice and a yogurt. Why not try unsweetened/ plain yogurt and top with some fruit? 
• A bowl of cereal (see top tip) with skimmed or semi-skimmed milk and some fruit
• Porridge with chopped banana and a handful of blueberries or dried fruit

Many breakfast cereals have added vitamins and minerals. Cereal can be a quick, easy and nutritious option for breakfast. Try to choose high fibre varieties to help you feel fuller for longer and prevent constipation. You should watch out for breakfast cereals that contain lots of sugar e.g. any that are chocolate, honey or sugar coated. 

Boost iron

Iron is important for teenagers to help their bodies grow. Girls have higher iron requirements once they start their periods, however UK dietary surveys indicate that almost half of girls aged 11 to 18 are not getting enough iron in their diet. Here's some useful things to consider:

• Red meats are rich sources of iron, and the iron they contain is well absorbed. Other animal proteins such as fish and poultry also contain iron.
• Plant-based sources of iron include beans, peas, lentils, dark green vegetables, nuts and seeds.
• Other foods such as some breads and breakfast cereals are fortified with iron

If your teenager is vegan or vegetarian, try to include some vitamin C and avoid tea or coffee during meals to help iron absorption. 

Build up bones

Getting enough calcium is important for healthy bones and teeth. During teenage years, bones are growing in size and density which is why young people have high requirements for calcium.

Dairy products such as milk, yoghurt and cheese are the best sources of calcium, but there are also non-dairy foods that contain calcium including:

• Calcium-fortified dairy alternatives
• White and brown bread
• Calcium-fortified breakfast cereals
• Dark green vegetables
• Fish that contains bones (such as sardines, pilchards, mackerel)

Choose lower fat dairy products when you can as they have the same amount of calcium as the full-fat versions. 

Remember to check that plant-based alternatives to dairy have added calcium (often called ‘fortified’). Most organic products are not calcium-fortified.

Healthy snacks

Teenagers shouldn’t fill up on sugary or fatty foods such as crisps, sweets, cakes, biscuits, or with sugary fizzy drinks. These tend to be high in calories but contain few nutrients.

Fresh fruit and vegetables are always the best snack choice – they contain vitamins and minerals, are a good source of fibre and count towards our '5 a day'. Plus, they're easy to eat on the go!

Tips for healthier snacking include:

• If your teenager is hungry after school, swap home-time biscuits, sweets, chocolate and cakes for healthier snacks like fruit and chopped veggies, plain rice cakes with soft cheese, toast with spread or a fruited teacake.
• Fill up the fridge with easy to grab healthy options such as chopped and ready-to-eat fruit and veg, like apple, carrot, cucumber, celery, peppers, strawberries, grapes, tinned pineapple or melon slices pre-prepared for a quick snack.
• Have healthy snacks to hand such as a fruit bowl in the house so fruity snacks are nearby. 
• A drink with a snack can be a double sugar overload. So swap sugary and fizzy drinks for diet or no added sugar drinks, semi or semi-skimmed milks or water.