Nutrition for Teens - Advice for Parents

The teens are a time of rapid growth and development. Usually appetites match needs, but some teens are attracted to fad diets. Teenagers express their newly found independence by giving up some of the family food habits and developing their own dietary styles.

You can encourage your teenagers to maintain a healthy diet by discussing their food and beverage choices with them. Try and keep the following in mind:

• Education and information about the best choices of snacks and takeaways are important at this time

• Remember it is the total diet that counts. Teenagers will eat some high-fat snacks and take-away foods, but encourage them to balance
these with foods from the Healthy Living Pyramid

• Emphasise good food as part of a healthy lifestyle, which includes regular exercise and avoiding cigarettes and the abuse of other drugs

• Discuss alcohol. The most common cause of accidents and death in this age group is the abuse of alcohol

• Encourage teenagers to enjoy non-alcoholic drinks at their parties and gatherings