Key Nutrients for Teens
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Transcript Key Nutrients for Teens
Key Nutrients for Teens
Calcium
Iron
Folic Acid
The Need for Focusing on
These Key Nutrients
Teens are drinking more soft drinks, less milk
Teens are not meeting calcium requirements
25% of teen girls are iron deficient
Iron deprivation associated with cognitive damage
American diets are poor in folic acid
Folic acid critical in decreasing risk of birth defects
The School Environment
Things to consider:
Are pop machines accessible?
Do lunch/breakfast programs offer a variety of fruits,
veggies, whole grains?
Are parents included in nutrition ed efforts?
Grab and go lunch option?
Offer milk in a variety of forms
Key Nutrients for Teens
Let’s take a more detailed look at…
Calcium
Iron
Folic Acid
Calcium
Role in the body
Status of U.S. teens
Good food sources
Calcium/Vitamin D
link
Options for those
with lactose
intolerance
Calcium’s Role in the Body
Structural component of bones and teeth
Aids in muscle contraction
Aids in blood clotting
Transmission of nervous system messages
U.S. Teens and
Calcium Consumption
9 out of 10 girls are
not meeting calcium
requirements
7 out of 10 boys are
not meeting calcium
requirements
Younger children
(ages 6-11) 2/3 not
meeting calcium
requirements
Why be concerned about calcium
intake during teen years?
Other than infancy, this is most rapid growth period
• 15-20% of adult height is acquired
• 50-80% of adult weight
• Approximately 45% of total skeletal mass is acquired
Without proper nutrients, the optimal growth
opportunity is lost
Dire long term health consequences can result
Weight Bearing Exercise and
Bone Health
Weight bearing exercise an important factor
in bone health
Running, walking, weight-lifting add to the
strength of bones
Drink your milk and keep moving!
How much calcium should a
teen get?
The recommendation
for calcium intake
for children and
young adults, ages
9-18 is 1,300 mg
of calcium per day
Good Food Sources of Calcium
Milk and milk
products
Dark, leafy green
veggies
Some fish and
shellfish
The Calcium/Vitamin D Link
Need vitamin D for absorption of calcium
Most milk products are “fortified” with
vitamin D
Exposure to sunlight is good source of
vitamin D
Lactose Intolerance
Very common
problem, especially
among certain
ethnic groups
Decreased
production of
enzyme lactase
Getting Calcium Despite
Lactose Intolerance
Look for lactose
reduced/lactose free
milk and dairy products
Add lactase enzyme to
fluid milk
Take lactase
supplement
Consume small
quantities of lactose
foods
Iron
Iron’s role in the body
Iron deficiency
U.S. teens and iron consumption
Iron rich foods
Complementary foods
Iron supplementation
Iron’s Roles in the Body
Component of hemoglobin
Part of an immune system enzyme
Helps vitamin A function well
Helps produce collagen
Symptoms of Iron Deficiency
Rapid fatigue
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Severe - anemia
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headaches
insomnia
feeling cold
pallor
U.S. Teens and Iron Deficiency
25% of teenaged girls
are iron deficient
Many teenage boys also
have iron poor diets
Diagnosis made via
blood test
Easily reversible by
consuming iron rich diet
Recommended Iron Intake
Teen Girls:
Teen Boys:
15 mg/day
10-12 mg/day
Two types of dietary iron
Heme
Iron:
• animal food sources
• part of hemoglobin molecule in food source
Non-heme
Iron:
• plant food sources
• not as well absorbed as heme iron
Optimizing Iron Absorption
Combine iron rich foods with foods that enhance
absorption, such as:
• vitamin C rich foods
• eat heme iron source along with non-heme source
Choose to eat foods that decrease iron absorption at
another time:
• coffee, tea
• high fiber foods
Iron Supplementation
Need careful
direction of health
care provider
Want to avoid
excessive iron
Folic Acid
The
How
roles of folic acid in the body
much folic acid does a teen need?
Good
food sources of folic acid
Roles of Folic Acid in the Body
A cell building B vitamin
Helps to produce DNA and RNA
Known to play a role in reducing birth
defects
May have role in protecting against heart
disease
Works with vitamin B12 in forming
hemoglobin in red blood cells
The Folic Acid/Birth Defect
Link
Folic acid found to have
significant role in
reducing the incidence
of neural tube defects
(such as spina bifida)
Taking 400mcg folic
acid periconception can
reduce incidence of
neural tube defects by
50%
Folic Acid Recommendations
for Teens
400 mcg folic acid per day
This recommendation is largely based upon
reduction of birth defects association with
folic acid.
Current recommendations are the same for
both genders.
Good Food Sources of Folic
Acid
Orange Juice
Leafy vegetables
Legumes
Fortified Grain
Products
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cereals
pastas
breads
flour
Fortification of Foods with
Folic Acid
Began
January 1, 1998
FDA
requires folic acid be added to all
enriched grain products
Based
on connection between folic acid
and reduction of neural tube defects
Module 2: Key Nutrients for
Teens
Information and
Activities to
incorporate into
the curriculum
What’s the Truth?
Pre-module
true/false quiz
Assess present
knowledge and
misconception at
start of module
Background Information
Sheets
Calcium: Got Milk?
Iron: Basic Facts About this Important
Mineral
Folic Acid: The Cell Builder
Activity 1: Cups of Calcium
Simulation activity
• calcium in bones
compared to flour in
bags
Follow-up questions
Self-Assessment
Activity 2: Get the Magnet!
Students visually
assess the iron
content of various
breakfast cereals
Follow-up questions
Activity 3: Assess Your Folic
Acid Intake
Activity primarily
serves to introduce
this relatively
unknown nutrient
Increases student’s
awareness of their
own consumption of
this nutrient
The Virtual Connection
A few internet
resources are
highighted to
support the
information
presented in the
module:
Clueless in the Mall:
A Calcium Scavenger Hunt
A fun, interactive
website.
Students answer
clues as they
progress through
scavenger hunt
Dairy Council of California
Information &
Resources for…
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educators
families
kids
professionals
CDC Information on Iron
Deficiency
Up-to-date
research based information
on iron deficiency
Technical and detailed
• not for students - geared toward
professional wanting current iron deficiency
information
March of Dimes Information
on Folic Acid
Information on
“Folic Acid
Campaign”
Most current
information and
recommendations