Fuelling growth: Essential nutrition for teenagers

As parents, we're all too familiar with the challenges of keeping our teenagers healthy. The recent House of Lords report, Recipe for Health, has shed light on a troubling reality: our food system is broken, and our teens are bearing the brunt of it.

The report reveals a shocking statistic: a huge 66% of the average teenager's calorie intake comes from ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Compared to adults, who consume over 50% of their calories from UPFs, it's clear our teens are in the danger zone.

So, what's driving this trend? As a nutritional therapist, I strongly believe it’s being spearheaded by misleading branding and advertising, confusing health claims and messages and the addictively designed nature of these "tasty" but nutritionally ambiguous and often void foods. 

It's a perfect storm that's fuelling the rising obesity rates among our Generations Z and Alpha who are mainly parented and cared for by the first generations of UPF consumers, X and Millennial.

The teenage nutritional essentials

Adolescence is a critical period of growth and development. During these years, our teens need a variety of "vital" vitamins and minerals to support their changing bodies and expanding minds:

• protein for muscle growth and repair
• calcium and vitamin D for strong bones
• iron for blood health (especially crucial for menstruating teens)
• zinc for immune function and sexual maturation
• B vitamins for energy metabolism
• omega-3 fatty acids for healthy brains

All these essential nutrients can be found in whole foods like vegetables, fruits, lean meats, fish, complex carbohydrates, nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes. Unfortunately, the UPFs dominating up to 66% of our teens' diets are often lacking in these essential nutrients.

Re-branding food as fuel

It's vital that we shift the perspective of our teenagers on their intake of foods. Teenagers have spent the last few decades viewing food through the lens of body image, we now need to help them understand that food is fuel that will support their complex physiological and crucially, mental health needs. 

Here's how I think it could work:

1. Eat less packaged and processed foods

The message is out there, but it needs to be louder. This type of food often contains excessive added sugars, unhealthy fats, and artificial ingredients.

2. Eat more vegetables

They're packed with vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants crucial for detoxing those surging hormones, physical growth and overall health.

3. Eat a balanced meal

Ensure a mix of proteins to ensure they get their essential 9 amino acids, the building blocks of cellular growth and repair, complex carbohydrates for both fibre and also consistent energy levels, reducing glucose-driven cravings, and healthy fats for hormone balance, energy, improved sleep and heart health. These need to be in every meal.

4. Choose water and herbal teas over sugary drinks

Even "zero" drinks can disrupt healthy eating patterns and are known to cause blood glucose spikes, food cravings and anxiety.

5. Practice mindful eating

Encourage teenagers to listen to their hunger and fullness cues and not to eat out of boredom.

6. Establish regular mealtimes

This can support daily metabolism and energy levels.

Cooking: The missing ingredient in education today

One of the most powerful tools we can give our teenagers is the confidence to cook. It doesn't need to be MasterChef, but basic cooking and food shopping skills can empower them to prepare simple, healthy meals, which in turn leads to many positive outcomes including:

• Improved food choices based on their nutritional value.
• A healthier relationship with food, where they don't feel guilt or anxiety over their food choices.
• Improved confidence, energy and personal health.
• An understanding of how different foods affect energy, mood, sleep and brain function.

What can we do?

Addressing this issue requires a multi-pronged approach:

1. Lobby our MPs and government for better nutrition education in schools. Comprehensive health and nutrition should be part of the national curriculum for all students. 

2. A model for healthy eating habits at home needs to be encouraged. By involving your teenagers in meal planning and preparation from an early age they will have a healthy relationship with food.

3. Nutrition needs to be seen positively by emphasising the benefits of healthy foods rather than focusing on restrictions and good versus bad foods, it's a balance issue.

4. Make healthy options readily available at home and in school.

5. Make sure teenagers are aware of and understand the basics of why they need more of certain nutrients during this crucial growth period. Highlight the negative impacts of a diet consisting mainly of UPFs such as poor bone health, anxiety, acne, poor eyesight, and depression. 

By taking these steps, we are giving our teenagers the tools to help them navigate the broken food system so they can develop healthy habits that will serve them well into adulthood. It's not about perfection, but progress. Every small change towards better nutrition education is a step in the right direction for our teens' health and well-being.