Why adolescents eat what they eat
Manju Wadwalkar

Eating together in the family is a very important factor that determines the food quality intake of children.

Adolescence is the time of rapid growth and development in life. Nutrient needs are at the peak. Diet in this age has repercussions on the future health. High intake of fat, cholesterol and salt is associated with heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes. Improper intake of nutrients and inactivity may even lead to life-long obesity.

Taste and looks are the reasons for what they eat.

Adolescents are least bothered about what they eat, so adults around them have to keep watch. What, where and with whom they eat determines their eating patterns. Urban children tend to enjoy soft drinks, breads, potato chips, popcorn and ready-to-eat cereals. These foods are rich sources of carbohydrates but have low nutrient density. For adequate intake of micronutrients, fruits, vegetables and milk are a must.

One of the marked changes in the urban eating habits is the trend of dining out. A number of factors contribute to the increasing popularity of eating out. Smaller families, working mothers, double income households, higher incomes, more fast food outlets and increased advertising are some of them.

Increased availability of food, away from home may adversely affect nutrition intake. Children tend to consume foods higher in fact and lower in fibre and calcium when they eat outside. Advertisements showing sodas with fast meals instead of milk or juice motivate children to select less nutritious foods.

Children tend to consume foods high in fat

In a study conducted on "Quality of children’s diets at home and away from home" published by Food Reviews, male teenagers favour fast foods while female teenagers tend to visit a variety of eating places, including non-fast food restaurants.

Adolescents tend to eat fast foods as these taste better than fruits, vegetables, dairy and low-fat foods. In addition, healthy foods are not as attractive and visible as the fast and convenient foods.

In a study published by the journal, Preventive Medicine, the social network that influenced the food choices of adolescents constituted of family, friends, school, news, entertainment media, advertising, culture, religion and knowledge.

Why people eat what they eat is a question that needs a lot of understanding and investigation.

When the journal of the American Diet Association probed the minds of teenagers to find out about their food choices the response was quite interesting. Adolescents state that hunger and food craving, taste and looks, time constraints and convenience of food are the reasons for what they eat.

Eating together in the family is a very important factor that determines the food quality intake of children. Although in a family with working parents it is not possible to have all the meals together, it is important to eat together as many times as possible. By the time children enter teenage, their food preferences are well-established. A strong association for almost all food items between husbands and wives, between mothers and children and between fathers and their children has been found.

Parents alone can influence their children’s eating habits. Nutritious foods can be made easily available and accessible at home by them. They themselves form the models for children. How they interact with children during meal times matters.

Meal times can be made enjoyable and interactive. When food items are used as a reward or punishment, it negatively influences the child’s eating behaviour.

In a survey on the effect of family dinners on diet quality, both girls and boys associated family dinners to healthy eating. The more the frequency of family dinners, the more was the consumption of fruits, vegetables and other nutritious items. Hence there was higher intake of fibre, calcium, folate, vitamins B6, B12, C and E and iron.