There are hundreds of millions of teenagers and children in our country. They are the future and hope of the motherland. Their healthy development and growth are related to the rise and fall of the country and the survival of the nation.
Although the growth of school-age children and adolescents is slower than that of young children, all organs are still developing rapidly, which is a period of vigorous development of body and intelligence. During this period, only by giving them reasonable nutrition can they be quick-thinking, healthy in their bodies, and develop comprehensively in morality, intelligence and physical fitness.
1 Physiological characteristics
School-age children (7-12 years old) have relatively stable weight growth, with an average increase of about 2 kilograms per year, but their intellectual development is enhanced and physical activity increases. As for teenagers (13-19 years old), their weight and height have increased dramatically. The puberty period of women in my country occurs at the age of 12-14, while the period of men occurs at the age of 14-16. Approximately 50% of the body's total weight and 15% of the height are obtained during puberty. Adolescents during this period have undergone great physical and psychological changes. The development and maturity of various organs and the ability to think is extremely active, which is a critical period for a person to grow body and knowledge in his life.
2 Dietary principles:
Calories: Calories are the energy released by protein , fat and carbohydrates in food when the body metabolizes three major substances. It is the most important factor used to maintain physiological functions (see Appendix 11 for daily thermal energy supply for school-age children and adolescents). If the dietary calorie supply is insufficient and other nutrients cannot be used well in the body, it will not only make children and adolescents weak, but also reduce their resistance to diseases.
If the diet is supplied with too much calories, the excess calories will be stored in the form of fat. For every 6.8 kcal of heat energy (the heat energy contained in 1 gram of chocolate), you can increase your weight by 1 gram. Over time, you will become a "little fat man". Not only is it not beautiful in appearance, but it is also inconvenient to move. The fat on the body is like a layer of "cotton coat", which makes the body heat less likely to spread. In summer, it is prone to heatstroke and prickly heat. In addition, due to the increase in fat tissue and the lengthening of blood flow, it puts additional burden on the heart, and the heart may expand over time. At the same time, the accumulated fat will push the diaphragm up, not only pressing the heart, but also limiting breathing. Therefore, the "Little Fatty" is prone to accelerate the heartbeat and shortness of breathing when moving.
If the "little fat man" continues to gain weight for a long time, it is easy to induce hypertension, , hyperlipidemia and coronary heart disease . According to a survey in a certain place in our country, obese children generally have slow brain responses and poor flexibility. This is because obese children accumulate too much fat in their brains, forming an "obese brain". The more obvious the grooves and refluxes in the human brain, the more wrinkles, and the higher the intelligence level. The "obese brain" is a groove close together, making the cerebral cortex smooth, and it is expected that the level of intelligence is not high.
In short, the supply of calories in the diet of children and adolescents should be reasonable and should not be too little or too much. It is caused by excessive diet or too little activity. It is pure obesity . You should control your diet, do not eat snacks, especially eat less greasy foods and sweets, and eat more vegetables and fruits.
Protein: The production, existence and extinction of life are closely related to proteins. Protein is the material basis of life in children and adolescents.
(1)Protein can constitute and repair tissue. Any cells, tissues and organs in the human body contain protein, and protein is the main component of the skin, muscles, internal organs, hair, ligaments, blood, etc. The process of renewal and repairing human tissue is the process of cell division and protein synthesis.
(2) Protein is the component that makes up enzymes and hormones. The process of proteins in various tissues of the human body constantly exchange and renew new and old, which is for metabolism. The metabolism in the human body is achieved through thousands of chemical reactions, all of which require enzymes to catalyze. And all enzymes are proteins. Some hormones that regulate physiological functions, such as insulin , adrenaline , thyroxine , etc., are also composed of protein as the main raw materials.
(3) Protein can maintain osmotic pressure . The water between normal human plasma and tissue fluid is constantly exchanged to maintain an equilibrium state. plasma colloidal osmotic pressure is determined by the concentration of the protein it contains (especially albumin ). If protein is lacking in the diet, the protein content in the plasma will decrease, the osmotic pressure of plasma colloids will decrease, and the water in the blood will penetrate into the surrounding tissues excessively, resulting in malnutritional edema.
(4) Protein can also form antibodies and provide thermal energy.
It can be seen that protein is crucial to human life. Especially for children and adolescents in the growth and development period, the protein they eat is used to proliferate new tissues (see Appendix 11 for daily protein supply for school-age children and adolescents). The supply of protein to children and adolescents should not only meet quantity, but also improve quality. Therefore, there should be more than 1/2 of the high-quality protein in the diet, such as lean meat, fish, eggs, milk, beans and soy products.
3. Inorganic salt:
(1) Calcium: The bones of children and adolescents are growing and developing, and a large amount of calcium is needed. If the calcium supply is insufficient, rickets may occur. Therefore, the calcium supply should be sufficient (see Appendix 11 for daily calcium supply to children and adolescents). Foods rich in calcium include milk, tofu, kelp, shrimp skin, vegetables, etc.
(2) Iron: Anemia occurs when the iron supply is insufficient (see Appendix 11 for the daily iron supply). Foods rich in iron include liver, kidney, blood, kelp, fungus , sesame paste, longan , etc.
(3) Zinc: Zinc deficiency can cause growth and development stagnation, loss of appetite, abnormal taste and smell in children and adolescents, or have pica , trauma healing , stagnation of sexual development, etc. The daily zinc supply is: 12-15 mg for children and 15 mg for teenagers. Foods rich in zinc include: oysters , pancreas , liver, coarse grains, dried beans, nuts, eggs, meat, fish, etc.
(4)Iodine: If the supply of iodine is insufficient, goiter (thyroid disease) will occur. In those with severe iodine deficiency, mucous edema may also occur. Children aged 7-12 years old provide iodine supply daily is 110-130 micrograms, and those in adolescents are 115-150 micrograms. In order to prevent the deficiency of iodine, in addition to promoting the use of iodine salt, foods rich in iodine should also be added to the diet, such as kelp, seaweed, sea fish, etc.
4. Vitamin: Vitamin is very important for children and adolescents to maintain normal growth and regulate physiological functions. Deficiency of any vitamin may produce a certain disease.
(1) Vitamin A: Vitamin A is an essential and important component of general cell metabolism and subcellular structure. It has the effect of promoting growth and development, maintaining bone health, normal sense of smell and hearing; it can protect night vision and maintain the normal efficacy of rhodopsin; it can maintain the health of epithelial tissues, enhance the resistance of the respiratory, digestive tract, urinary tract and reproductive system to bacteria and viruses; it can prevent the occurrence and development of various types of epithelial tumors. If children and adolescents lack vitamin A, the muscles and internal organs in the body will shrink, body fat will decrease, growth will stagnate, and "night blindness", dry skin, keratosis of hair follicles will also occur (see Appendix 11 for daily vitamin A supply). Foods rich in vitamin A include animal liver, egg yolk, cream, and cod liver oil. In plant-based food , red, yellow, green vegetables and certain yellow fruits such as apricots, mangoes, loquats, , etc. are rich in carotene . These carotenes can be converted into vitamin A in the liver when entering the human body.
(2) Vitamin D: Vitamin D can help absorb calcium, and generally foods do not contain much vitamin D. Therefore, it is recommended that children and teenagers pay attention to sunbathing more for 7 years, because there is 7-dehydrocholesterol under the skin, which can convert
to vitamin D₃ under the action of ultraviolet rays, which is conducive to preventing rickets or osteoporosis of . In addition, vitamin D preparation or cod liver oil should be supplemented in necessary fashion. The Chinese Nutrition Society recommends that children and adolescents provide 10 micrograms of vitamin D daily.
(3) Vitamin C: Vitamin C is a highly active reducing substance, which participates in the body's important physiological redox process, can increase the oxygen content in the brain, and stimulates the brain's utilization of oxygen; it participates in the formation of cell interstitial mass, maintains the normal physiological functions of blood vessels, muscles, bones, and teeth; it can promote pig iron function, helps the absorption of iron, and the utilization of folate ; it also has anti-allergic, anti-infection and disease prevention effects, and has obvious effects on preventing and treating colds in children and adolescents (see Appendix 11 for daily vitamin C supply). Foods rich in vitamin C include fresh vegetables and fruits, such as green peppers, bitter melons, green vegetables, kiwi fruit , fresh red dates, strawberry , red fruit , etc.
5. Water: Water is an important part of the human body. It is the basis of metabolic reactions, a medium for transporting nutrients and excreting waste, can regulate body temperature, and is a lubricant in the body. Water is second only to oxygen, so water is the source of life.
According to clinical and social surveys, children who drink more water have a low chance of prevalence, especially colds, laryngitis, and some skin diseases have low incidence.
6. Reasonable diet: Children and teenagers should have a balanced and reasonable diet, and the main and side foods should be matched appropriately. Each meal should be meat and vegetable. Those with poor conditions must also eat food, beans and vegetables. At the same time, it is necessary to cultivate good eating habits for children and adolescents, eat regularly and regularly, do not eat partial food, do not overeat, and do not eat snacks randomly.
