Why is good nutrition so important for teenage girls?
During their teenage years, girls gain more fat than boys and often take up excess dieting and smoking to help lose weight. Calcium is an important mineral because girls gain as much as 90% of their bone density by the age of 17. However, Irish teenage girls have been found to avoid drinking milk, which can have a detrimental effect on their bone growth. Milk, cheese and yoghurt are excellent sources of calcium and teenage girls and boys should take a pint-and-a-half of ordinary milk or a pint of fortified milk each day. This can be added to breakfast cereal, tea, coffee, cappuccinos, milkshakes and smoothies. Low fat and skimmed milk are also suitable for teenagers. Iron is another important mineral, as almost a third of Irish teenage girls have been found to have low iron intake. The best source of iron is lean, red meat, which should be eaten two to three times a week, in the form of burgers, spaghetti bolognaise, lasagne, chops or shepherd’s pie. Alternative sources of iron include
