Teenager girls need proper nutrition

Adolescence is the most important stage in which a girl should be concerned with the quality of her food and its nature, as the body at the time needs a relatively large proportion of energy and food. 'Arabs Today' met Dr. Mona Radames, a nutrition and obesity specialist who said: “Without a doubt, adolescence is an important stage in the life of young people, especially girls, as they are exposed to many physiological changes, and their physique and look changes rapidly, because the curve of the growth of human beings goes very slowly and gradually through life. There is a boom or a rapid increase in two phases of life: the first is in the first year of life, and second, in adulthood, where the growth rate increases very fast and sharply, then returning to stability. She added that adolescence is an important stage, one that needs special and organised nutrition so that the body does not undergo nutritional deficiency, which might lead to a negative impact on growth. The balanced, diverse and sufficient food must contain all the essential elements of nutrition, such as: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and liquids. None should be neglected, as each element is important for proper growth. “We must also take into account the balance in the food,” Dr. Radames said, “so the quantities should be measured and guided, in order to not cause any increase in weight or lead to slenderness. We must take care of variety, as it guarantees that a teenager would have everything she needs without the exclusion of any element.” Regarding the best way to deal with weight gain, Dr. Radames said: “The best treatment for a girl suffering from excess weight is to follow a careful diet by a qualified professional, as this will ensure her proper nutrition and controlled care. Many of the girls who experience significant weight gain resort to random, unhealthy nutritional habits affecting their hormones and causing problems such as hair loss.” She added:   “Improper nutrition could lead to changes in the menstrual cycle, causing its interruption for one or two years, in addition to roughness and dryness of skin, and anemia. But following a proper healthy system protects a girl from all these problems, as specialists consider medical history, and if there are signs of health problems or weakness, they do the necessary tests, taking into account that the system is adequate.” About prevalent risks, Dr. Mona Radames said: “Negative aspects include high blood pressure, increased body fat percentage in addition to shortage of iron and other important minerals. It may also affect growth, and cause severe weight loss as well as hormonal imbalance.”