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Adolescence is the period that separates childhood from adulthood; for some children it can start at 11, for others at 14, according to sex and individual characteristics.
 From the viewpoint of nutritional needs, it is the most demanding period for energy and quality. The energy requirements for growth are not very high compared to those needed for physical activity. In this stage of life, sports should be an important daily activity to promote correct body/muscular development, a legacy meant to last forever.
Unfortunately, in the age of industrialization even young people have become more and more sedentary; they spend ever more time watching television or sitting at the computer, to the detriment of salutary-physical activities.
Olive Oil in adolescence:
Among the monounsaturated fatty acids, oleic acid is the one most used by muscles as well the easiest to digest.
Fried foods, a particular favorite of teenagers, should always be cooked in olive oil because of its optimal composition and its high smoke point, which protects food from heat damage.
Nutritional Suggestions
Calorie requirements:
The caloric requirements vary significantly between boys and girls, both for genetic reasons and for those due to differences in physical activity.
Following are some average requirements:
|
Age
|
Female
|
Male
|
|
11
|
67
Kcal/Kg
|
70
Kcal/Kg
|
|
13
|
53
Kcal/Kg
|
66
Kcal/Kg
|
|
15
|
50
Kcal/Kg
|
54
Kcal/Kg
|
|
18
|
43
Kcal/Kg
|
47
Kcal/Kg
|
Energy needs:
For each kilogram of body weight a teen-ager must eat more than a grown-up, mostly increasing the supply of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, with foods such as:
- meat, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, rich in protein and with high biological value;
- milk, cheese, for calcium;
- liver, butter, vegetables, for Vitamin A;
- fresh fruit and vegetables, Vitamin C;
- olive oil, for essential fatty acids;
- cereals, bread, potatoes, pulses and others, for starch;
- liver and other foods rich in iron.
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