The Nutritional Requirements for High School Students
Most high school students are adolescents (unless they’re geniuses!), which means they are between the ages of twelve and eighteen. The nutritional requirements for adolescents are vastly different to that of an eight year old elementary student. The main culprit behind this nutritional change is because of puberty. According to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, the average teenage male consumes about 1800 to 3200 calories per day, while the average teenage female consumes 1600 to 2400 calories per day. Adolescents bodies are rapidly growing and they require the necessary fuel to get them through their seven to eight hour school day. It is essential for schools to know what kind of nutrients a growing high school student requires to be successful in the classroom. The video below shows nutritional specialist Michele Chevalley Hedge giving a lecture to a group of high school students in Queenwood High School.
The Big Three: Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fat
First, what type of nutrition does adolescence exactly need? Well, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, energy can be obtained from three sources: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats which all provide energy in the form of calories.Carbohydrates, also known as “carbs”, are essential in human being’s diet, especially in high school students. Simply put, carbohydrates are sugars that the body utilizes as its primary source of energy since it is the easiest to break down. According to the table shown below from the Institute of Medicine, adolescents should proportion about 45% to 65% of carbohydrates as part of their daily intake. A common example of a carbohydrate is the polysaccharide, glucose, which is the most universal carbohydrate. Even though carbohydrates can be found in foods like candy and soda, in reality, the best sources of carbohydrates are from whole grain breads, fruits, vegetables, and beans. Those popular “no carb” diets that teenagers (and adults) are using to lose weight should be avoided because carbohydrates are the most essential nutrient in a growing person’s body. The next source of energy is proteins, which is vital in a growing teen’s body. Proteins are the building blocks which catalyze our everyday functions,whether it is our cognitive processes or walking from class to class. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, some key proteins are exclusively found in the food that we consume, so foods rich in protein are necessary in a high school student’s diet. Excellent sources of protein can be found in chicken breast and fish. According to the USDA, the amount of proteins adolescents should consume is about 10 to 30% of their daily calorie consumption. Finally, the last source of energy is fats. Fats are essential to a diet, but should not be consumed at high levels. According to the USDA, adolescents should only have twenty five to thirty five percent of fat for their calorie intake per day. In addition, saturated fats should be avoided and unsaturated fats should be provided to the students which include fish, nuts,and vegetable oil. High schools must take into consideration these three essential nutrients in their meal plans in order to create a healthy, nutrient rich meal for their students.
Other Necessary Nutrients for a Growing Teenager
Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are not the only nutrients that high schools need to take into account.There are other essential nutrients that are required for a high school student like vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Vitamins and minerals provide various functions for developing young adolescents, especially high school students. An example of an essential vitamin is Vitamin D. According to the USDA, people from the ages of one to seventy should consume about 600 IU (international unit) of vitamin D per day. Vitamin D is important in the body because it helps develop a healthy body and strengthens the bones. Vitamin D can be found in milk, eggs, and some fish. The other important nutrient that teenagers require is fiber.Fibers are the edible, non-digestible parts of various foods like fruit,vegetables, and whole-grain. Fiber is essential because it aids in the digestion process of our food, as well as reducing the cholesterol levels. The USDA states that adolescents should consume about twenty six to thirty eight grams of fiber per day. The table to the right shows the fiber intake for all ages. In reality, students consume way below the necessary amount, and only consume about thirteen grams per day.
It is vital for high schools to be knowledgeable about the biology of the foods they will be providing to their students. The school has the power to dictate what the students can or cannot eat during the school day. High schools should teach their students that a healthy diet is the best kind of diet. These key nutrients are essential information that the student should be aware of and take on the information in order to create a healthy diet for themselves. In fact, the USDA launched a program called MyPlate in 2011,which encourages everybody of all age groups to eat healthy and provides the user with all th knowledge on the recommended food intake.The website also describes the type of foods that provide each nutrient and how much of each nutrient a person should eat per day. The picture below depicts the necessary nutrients for a healthy diet in the form of a place mat as well as the link that directs users to the website. The big picture he is, with the knowledge of the key players in our nutrition, students should come to understand the great importance is on their life, especially their academic life!
It is vital for high schools to be knowledgeable about the biology of the foods they will be providing to their students. The school has the power to dictate what the students can or cannot eat during the school day. High schools should teach their students that a healthy diet is the best kind of diet. These key nutrients are essential information that the student should be aware of and take on the information in order to create a healthy diet for themselves. In fact, the USDA launched a program called MyPlate in 2011,which encourages everybody of all age groups to eat healthy and provides the user with all th knowledge on the recommended food intake.The website also describes the type of foods that provide each nutrient and how much of each nutrient a person should eat per day. The picture below depicts the necessary nutrients for a healthy diet in the form of a place mat as well as the link that directs users to the website. The big picture he is, with the knowledge of the key players in our nutrition, students should come to understand the great importance is on their life, especially their academic life!