Adolescent ::Growth and Development in Adolescence
Adolescence is a significant period for physical growth and sexual maturation. Nutrition being an important determinant of physical growth of adolescents is an important area that needs attention. Growth retardation is one of the most important health concerns for adolescents and their parents as well as health care workers.

Inadequate nutritional intake during adolescence can have serious consequences throughout the reproductive years and beyond. Poor nutrition during adolescence can impair the work capacity and productivity of adolescent boys and girls in their later years. Further, an undernourished girl is at the risk of developing complications during pregnancy and the chances of her giving birth to a low birth weight baby increases, thus perpetuating a vicious cycle of malnutrition and dill-health, and an intergenerational effect.

Increased nutritional needs at this juncture relate to the fact that adolescents gain upto 50% of their adult weight, more than 20% of their adult height, and 50% pf their adult skeletal/bone mass during this period. Adolescent girls also need additional requirement of iron to compensate for menstrual blood loss and calcium which gives strength to bones. Sub-optimal nutrition slows the growth process and the rate of sexual maturation.

Malnutrition affects development – more than two thirds of the adolescent girls suffer from anaemia. Two third suffer from Chronic Energy Deficiency of the third degree with Body Mass Index (BMI) below 16. Married women aged 15-49 are also reported to have BMI below 18.5 (NFHS 2). Iodine Deficiency Disorders can lead to growth retardation and retard mental development. Only half of the households are using lodised salt for cooking in India (Multiple Indicator Survey (MICS) 2000). Meal missing, junking and food fads are equal in rural and urban girls. Boys also have food fads which affect their health adversely. This is driven by fancy towards role models an publicity from the media. Junking may cause both over nutrition and under weight. Anaemic adolescent mothers are at a higher risk of miscarriages, maternal mortality and giving birth to stillborn and underweight babies. Therefore, nutritional deficiency has an inter-generation effect also. To decrease low birth weight babies, take care of adolescents to support their growth.

Nutrients of food
Major nutrients of food include protein, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins which perform different functions.

Function of various

Proteins are of greatest importance in nutrition. Proteins are required for bodybuilding and help in repair and maintenance of body tissues. Fats are high-energy foods and a source of energy. They also make the food more palatable and provide fat-soluble vitamins. Carbohydrates form the major component of most diets and are the main source of energy. Vitamins and minerals are required in small quantities. They do not yield energy but enable the body to use other nutrients and also play an important role in growth, repair and regulation of vital biddy functions. Requirements for iron and calcium are particularly increased in adolescence. - Calcium needs during adolescence are greater than they are in either childhood or adulthood because of rapid increase in lean body mass and skeletal growth. - Zinc is especially important in adolescence because of its role in growth and sexual maturation. Some sources of zinc are grains, nuts, meat, cheese and milk.

Balanced Diet
A balanced diet is one that provides all nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals) in required amounts and proportions for maintaining health and general well being and also makes a small provision for extra nutrients to withstand short duration of leanness. It can be achieved through a blend of four basic food groups, i.e. carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. As these are present in different types of food items like pulses, chapatti of rice, green vegetables and milk it is important to eat these foods items in the right mix everyday.

Recommended dietary Allowance of Nutrients for adolescents in 24 hours
	MALE			FEMALE
	10-12 Yr	13-15 Yr	16-18 Yr	10-12 Yr	13-15 Yr	16-18 Yr
Energy (Kcal) Protein (gms) Calcium (mg) Iron (mg)	2200 54 600 34	2500 70 600 41	2700 78 500 50	2000 57 600 19	2100 65 600 28	2100 63 500 30

Source: ICMR (1998)

Eating right and nutritious food during adolescence
• Helps in achieving rapid growth and full growth potential
• Helps in timely sexual maturation
• Ensures adequate calcium deposition in the bones and helps in achieving normal bone strength
• Establishes good eating habits a sets the tone for a lifetime of healthy eating. This prevents obesity, osteoporosis (weak bones due to deficiency of calcium), health disease and diabetes in later life.

Young girls who have inadequate nutrition do not grow well and become student women. Adolescent girls often suffer from anaemia because of poor consumption of iron rich foods and also due to worm infestation and frequent infections. Because of severe malnutrition and repeated illness, the normal growth spurt in early adolescence does not occur and a slower and prolonged pubertal growth period is observed in adolescents from lower socio-economic status. Hence, any damage to the body physiology during adolescence places extra nutritional demand on the body. Early pregnancy is detrimental as it places an extra demand on the growing body and growth is permanently asserted. Adolescent mothers are more likely to deliver low birth babies. Due to poor milk production the infant may not be able to gain enough weight and remain malnourished. If these babies are girls, they are likely to continue the cycle by being stunted in adulthood, and so on, if something is not done to break this cycle. Support is needed for nutrition at all stages – infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood.