Key Nutrients for Teens

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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:

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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
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Rapid fatigue
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Severe - anemia
•
•
•
•
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
•
•
•
•
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…
•
•
•
•
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