NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF THE ADOLESCENTS

NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF THE ADOLESCENTS

The physical and mental well being of an individual is regarded as an individual’s health. To keep the body healthy, every human being, at any age, needs to have a balanced diet. The person must also observe personal hygiene and undertake adequate physical exercise.

During adolescence, however, these become even more essential as the body is growing.

Adolescence is a stage of rapid growth and development. Hence the diet for an adolescent has to be carefully planned. You have already learnt what a balanced diet is. Recall that a balanced diet means that the meals include proteins, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins in requisite proportions. Our Indian meal of roti/rice, dal (pulses) and vegetables is a balanced meal. Milk is a balanced food in itself. Fruits also provide nourishment. For infants, mother’s milk provides all the nourishment that they need.

Iron builds blood and iron-rich food such as leafy vegetables, jaggery, meat, citrus, Indian gooseberry (amla) are good for adolescents.

Check items for lunch and dinner in your meal. Is the meal balanced and nutritious? Does it include cereals which give energy and milk, meat, nuts and pulses which provide proteins for growth? Also, does it include fats and sugar that give energy? What about fruits and vegetables which are protective foods? Chips and packed or tinned snacks, though very tasty should never replace regular meals as they do not have adequate nutritional value.

Activity 10.3:

*   Collect information from magazines or from doctors and prepare a note on the importance of consuming iodised salt.

*   You can also look for this information on the internet.

Activity 10.4:

*   Make a group with your friends. Write down the items of food in your breakfast, lunch and dinner you had on the previous day.

*   Identify the items responsible for proper growth.

*   Also identified the junk food that you consumed the previous day.

Activity 10.5:

*   Get ideas from the pictures given in Fig.10.6.

*   Prepare charts or posters and paste them in the class so that you are aware of the diet for adolescents.

*   You may use your creative ideas and present it like an advertisement.

*   You may even organise a competition on this topic.

Figure 10.6: Nutritious items of food

Questions

If people do not have enough iodine in their diet, will they get goitre caused by lack of thyroxine?

Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK

PERSONAL HYGIENE AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE

PERSONAL HYGIENE AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE

Personal hygiene

Everyone should have a bath at least once everyday. It is more necessary for teenagers because the increased activity of sweat glands sometimes makes the body smelly. All parts of the body should be washed and cleaned everyday. If cleanliness is not maintained there are chances of catching bacterial infection. Girls should take special care of cleanliness during the time of menstrual flow. They should keep track of their menstrual cycle and be prepared for the onset of menstruation. Use sanitary napkin or clean homemade pads. Change pads after every 4–5 hours as per the requirement

Physical exercise

Walking and playing in fresh air keeps the body fit and healthy. All young boys and girls should take walks, exercise and play outdoor games.

Adolescent Pregnancy

You might be knowing that in our country, the legal age for marriage is 18 years  for girls and 21 years for boys. This is because teenage mothers are not prepared mentally or physically for motherhood. Early marriage and motherhood cause health problems in the mother and the child. It also curtails employment opportunities for the young woman and may cause mental agony as she is not ready for responsibilities of motherhood.

Myths, Taboos, Do’s and Don’ts

You have learnt here and from Chapter 9 the scientific facts related to human reproduction. There are many wrong notions which you should now be able to discard as informed adolescents. For example, there are myths and taboos regarding bodily changes that adolescents experience. Some of these are given below and you can now argue why these are myths and not facts.

1.  A girl becomes pregnant if she looks at boys during menstruation.

2.  The mother is responsible for the sex of her child.

3.  A girl should not be allowed to work in the kitchen during menstruation.

You may come across many other myths and taboos. Discard them

Activity 10.6:

*   Collect data on the number of children in your class who exercise regularly and who do not exercise regularly.

*   Did you notice any difference in their fitness and health?

*   Prepare a report on the benefits of regular exercise.

Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK

SAY “NO” TO DRUGS

SAY “NO” TO DRUGS

Adolescence is a period of much activity in the body and mind which is a normal part of growing up. So do not feel confused or insecure. If anybody suggests that you will get relief if you take some drugs, just say ‘No’ unless prescribed by the doctor. Drugs are addictive. If you take them once, you feel like taking them again and again. They harm the body in the long run. They ruin health and happiness.

You must have heard about AIDS which is caused by a dangerous virus, HIV. This virus can pass on to a normal person from an infected person by sharing the syringes used for injecting drugs. It can also be transmitted to an infant from the infected mother through her milk. The virus can also be transmitted through sexual contact with a person infected with HIV.

Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK