As a mum, I have been worried about my teenage daughter’s eating habits. Ever since she started secondary school, her priorities have changed when it comes to eating well and eating on time.
My daughter is not a picky eater. She loves her veggies, and I have always tried to instil healthy eating habits in my kids.
But nowadays, she is simply too time-crunched to eat. She has long school days and has to juggle many commitments from academics, to project submissions, CCAs, and friends.
I have realised that teenagers are busy people. They have so much on their plate, that eating healthily becomes the least of their concerns.
Plus, schools have short lunch periods—and socialising and eating compete with each other. Children end up buying things they can eat the quickest and most conveniently. And those foods may not be able to fulfil their nutritional needs.
Apart from time constraints, factors such as increased independence, peer influence and body image issues may also cause teens to eat less than they need in order to grow and develop normally. At this age, children are most likely to be influenced by their friends when it comes to what they eat and how much they eat.
For me, it is frustrating that as a mum, I am no longer fully aware of my child’s activities and have less control of what and how much she chooses to eat, and when.
How then, do I make sure that my child is getting enough nutrients?
Why we should pay attention to what our teens are eating
I recently came across a survey conducted on 300 SG moms and 150 SG teens (10-15yo) – only 5% of Singapore teens’ snack choices were reported to be healthy choices. The top 3 snack choices were chocolate (80%), potato crisps/chips (75%) and ice cream (74%)
What’s more, almost 1 in 4 teens said they consumed more unhealthy snacks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But what I found most shocking as a mum, was that almost 1 in 4 Singapore teens said they skipped meals, mostly breakfast.
Mums and dads, the teen years are a time of growth spurts, puberty changes, and emotional and social development.
In fact, the age of 10-15 is critical, as children experience a period of rapid growth, where up to 2x* key nutrients are required, compared to before puberty.
Did you know that up to 20% of total height and 45% of adult bone mass are achieved during adolescence²?
Teenagers thus need protein for muscle growth and key nutrients for bone building like calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin K. Plus, if they are active in sports, it is all the more important that they get enough calories to match their nutrient needs.
Also, if you have noticed that your teenage daughter is tired, she might be low on iron, as girls lose iron during their period.
Growth spurts are usually accompanied by an increase in appetite and higher nutrient requirements. As parents, we need to ensure that our teens are nutritionally well-supported during this period by a healthy, balanced diet, so that we can optimise their final growth spurt.
What should teens eat?
Here are some key nutrients that are necessary to support growth in the teen years, and how we can obtain them from food:
- Protein
Common sources are poultry, red meat, seafood, eggs and dairy products, soy milk, tofu, tempeh, nuts, beans and legumes.
- Calcium
We can obtain calcium from dairy foods, fish with edible bones (sardines, anchovies), lentils, green, leafy vegetables and calcium-fortified food (bread, soybean milk)
- Vitamin D
Eggs, liver, oily fish (E.g. salmon, sardine, mackerel) and fortified food products are good sources of Vitamin D.
- Vitamin Bs
Whole grains, meat, eggs and dairy products, legumes, dark leafy vegetables (E.g. broccoli, spinach) and fruits (citrus fruits, avocados, bananas) are rich in B Vitamins.
- Vitamin C
We can get Vitamin C from citrus fruits and vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, capsicums)
- Iron
Red meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, beans and lentils, dark green leafy vegetables, and fortified breakfast cereals are iron-rich foods.
Tips for parents to improve their teen’s dietary habits
Mums and dads, I now realise that while we don’t have a lot of control over what our teens are eating when they are away from home, we can still make sure they eat a balanced diet at home. Remember, we are in charge of what foods are allowed in our homes, and we have the power to influence what our kids eat!
Here are some simple tips to make sure that our teens eat well and stay healthy:
- Don’t skip breakfast
Skipping breakfast means you miss out on key vitamins and minerals that are so essential for good health. It also affects your energy levels for the rest of the day.
- Include your teen in meal planning
Our kids are a lot more likely to eat foods they help choose and cook.
- Make family mealtime a priority
By eating together as a family you can ensure that your teen eats a nutritious meal at least once or twice a day.
- Cultivate a positive body image
Talk about eating a balanced meal, not because it will make you look good, but because it’s what your body needs. Make sure the conversation is about health, rather than weight.
- Reduce junk food consumption
We can take baby steps and start by replacing a nutrient-poor choice with a nutrient–dense food or beverage.
I found PediaSure® 10+ to be an easy, delicious, stress-free alternative when it comes to providing balanced nutrition to my teenage daughter, especially on busy days. My daughter loves the taste. It is a great snack option for teens 10-15 years old, that contains 34 nutrients, and up to 2X^ key nutrients like calcium and Vitamin K2. What’s more, 2 servings a day provides 100% of daily needs for vitamin D~.
If you would like to try PediaSure® 10+ like I did, do head over to https://abbottfamily.com.sg/free-sample/pediasure10plus
Our teens are in that stage of life where they aren’t adults, but they’re no longer children either. Good nutrition at this time of life can make up for any nutritional deficits in childhood. It can set the stage for a lifetime of healthy eating habits and protect against the onset of chronic diseases in adulthood.
References:
*For Protein, Vit A, Iron, and Vit C for teenagers (13-18 years) compared with children (7-12 years) based on the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for normal healthy persons in Singapore (Children and Adolescents).
- Campisi S et al. Innocenti Working Papers no. 2018-12, UNICEF Oce of Research – Innocenti, Florence
^Compared to previous formula for levels of 8 key nutrients- Carnitine, Vit D3, Vit E, Vit K2, Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus and Zinc.
~2 servings a day provides 100% of daily needs for vitamin D according to US DRI.
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