For the study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health and echoed by the SINC agency, fat data was obtained through the sum of six skinfolds and the waist circumference of 1,978 adolescents . Thus, they observed, among other things, that the boys measured and weighed more, in addition to having a greater waist circumference and eating faster during meals, but accumulated less fat. On the other hand, adolescents who skipped breakfast showed higher body fat values than the rest.
Sexual maturation and increase in height and weight are the characteristics that mark the nutritional needs of adolescents, who during this stage increase approximately 20% of the height they will have as an adult and 50% of their muscle and bone mass. Among the daily recommendations for the diet of adolescents is to drink three or four cups of milk or yogurt to provide calcium, vitamin D and riboflavin; five or more servings of fruits or vegetables; two servings of lean protein foods; six to eleven servings of cereals, pasta, rice, and potato; and small amounts of foods high in fat and sugar.
