Teenagers & Their Foods Choices

Let us think back to when we were teenagers. Everything is about what is cool, what our friends are doing, and navigating away from our families and into our own identities. 

All that is totally normal (if not mildly infuriating at times for parents). Adolescence is a time of immense change, both physically and psychologically. It is also a time where lifelong habits begin to really solidify. The transition from childhood to adolescence is marked by increased decision-making responsibilities. Teenagers are more independent, yet they may lack decision-making skills to manage their behaviors. 

No, teens aren’t dumb. They’re literally just not biologically fully developed and still need help and guidance - and this includes with their food. Teen brains are designed to have limited foresight, keeping them in the here and now. This is great for taking risks and trying new things, but not so great when trying to build strong body systems for combating future disease risk.  

Addressing the social, emotional, and psychological issues that affect adolescents' food choices is important to improve their health outcomes. This is an age where they can be susceptible to peer pressure, magazines, advertisements, and social media that portray a certain body type as ideal or succumb to advertisements and marketing more easily.

This makes them vulnerable to disordered eating behaviors and may lead to unhealthy food choices. On top of all that, teens often navigate an environment where convenience and taste can take precedence over nutrition. This may be at school, sports, in favorite hang out areas, or even at home.

So why does it really matter at this age anyway? 

Puberty and sexual maturation is key for determining individual nutrient needs and this happens at a separate rate for each person. Basically, not all 14 year olds need the same, nor all 18 year olds. During these body changes, the adolescent’s nutritional need increase rapidly, requiring increased energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals to allow for appropriate development. 

Maybe you noticed your teenage son is eating you out of house and home and it feels like you’re making 12 grocery runs a week!

This increase is important, but it also comes with the responsibility of adding not just calories for energy and growth, but nutrients that help build the body systems that teens take into adulthood. For example, almost half of adult peak bone mass results from adolescent development, making it a critical time for osteoporosis prevention later in life. Unfortunately, because of all the factors mentioned, this is one of the periods of life where we have the highest risk of deficiency in western culture. Studies show that most teens are not meeting their nutrient needs in a number of vitamin and mineral categories including calcium, zinc, folate, iron, and vitamins like A, B6, C and E.

What to do?

Implement one of the highest recommended prevention practices studied both physically and psychologically. Families who eat home cooked meals with their teens has been proven to increase the intake of fruits and vegetables as well as decreasing risky social behavior and increasing academic performance. Having meals at home and improving snack choices during this developmental time will increase nutrient intake, promote positive mental health, and decrease the risk for long term health implications like disordered eating or osteoporosis. 

Modeling this behavior as parents, teachers, guardians, coaches, and friends encourages teens to follow suit while still building their independence!