HEALTH 7
Common Adolescents’ Nutritional
Concerns
How do you feel about
your current health
status?
Nutrition Problems of
Adolescents
Malnutrition
BMI BODY TYPES
Underweight
Normal
overweight
Obese
TYPES OF MALNUTRITION
1. Undernutrition
makes children in particular much
more vulnerable to disease and
death.
TYPES OF MALNUTRITION
1. Undernutrition
4 subforms:
Stunting
Wasting
Underweight
Micronutrient deficiencies
TYPES OF MALNUTRITION
1. Undernutrition
Stunting (Low height-for-age)
It is the result of chronic or recurrent
undernutrition, usually associated with
poor socioeconomic conditions, poor
maternal health and nutrition,
frequent illness,
TYPES OF MALNUTRITION
1. Undernutrition
Wasting (Low weight-for-height)
indicates recent and severe weight loss
because a person has not had enough
food to eat and/or they have had an
infectious disease, such as diarrhea,
which has caused them to lose weight.
TYPES OF MALNUTRITION
1. Undernutrition
Underweight (Low weight-for-age)
A child who is underweight may
be stunted, wasted or both.
TYPES OF MALNUTRITION
1. Undernutrition
Micronutrient Deficiencies
Inadequacies in intake of vitamins and
minerals often referred to as
micronutrients, can also be grouped
together.
TYPES OF MALNUTRITION
1. Undernutrition
Micronutrient Deficiencies
Iodine, vitamin A, and iron are the most
important in global public health
terms; their deficiency represents a
major threat to the health and
development of populations worldwide
TYPES OF MALNUTRITION
2. Overweight and obesity
When a person is too heavy for his
or her height.
Abnormal or excessive fat
accumulation can impair health.
PHYSICAL SIGNS OF MALNUTRITION
Unintentional weight loss or gain
BEHAVIORAL CHANGES IN MALNUTRITION
change in appetite
tiredness and irritability
inability to focus on work
PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS OF
MALNUTRITION
gets cold easily
risk of diseases and longer healing
lose organ system coordination
WAYS TO PREVENT MALNUTRITION
raising awareness
balanced diet
taking nutrient supplements
Micronutrient
Deficiencies
COMMON FORMS OF MICRONUTRIENT
DEFICIENCIES
iron deficiency anemia
iodine deficiency
vitamin D deficiency
calcium deficiency
vitamin A deficiency
IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA
decline in oxygen transported by blood in
the body
tiredness, weakened immune system
can be treated with iron supplements and
by increasing consumption of red meat
IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA
IODINE DEFICIENCY
development of goiter
shortness of breath, increased heart rate,
weight gain
can be treated by eating more seaweed,
fish, dairy, eggs, or iodine-fortified foods
or supplements
IODINE DEFICIENCY
VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY
created by the body through diet
and sun exposure
treated by eating a balanced diet,
sun exposure, and supplements
VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY
CALCIUM DEFICIENCY
osteoporosis (bones become weak
and fragile)
consume more bony fish, green
vegetables, and milk
CALCIUM DEFICIENCY
VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY
causes temporary to permanent eye
damage and even blindness
consume more organ meat like liver, beta-
carotene rich food, and take food
supplements
VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY
Eating Disorders:
Anorexia Nervosa,
Bulimia, and Compulsive
Eating Disorder
Anorexia Nervosa
ANOREXIA NERVOSA
This is characterized by weight loss often
due to excessive dieting and exercise,
sometimes to the point of starvation.
People with anorexia feel they can never
be thin enough and continue to see
themselves as “fat” despite extreme
weight loss.
ANOREXIA NERVOSA
severely restricted calorie intake, which
may include avoiding certain types of
foods
intense fear of gaining weight
distorted body image
SIGNS: ANOREXIA NERVOSA
Dramatic weight loss
Wearing loose, bulky clothes to hide
weight loss
Preoccupation with food, dieting,
counting calories, etc.
SIGNS: ANOREXIA NERVOSA
Refusal to eat certain foods, such as
carbs or fats
Avoiding mealtimes or eating in
front of others
ANOREXIA NERVOSA
If left untreated, anorexia can lead
to serious complications such as
malnutrition and organ failure.
ANOREXIA NERVOSA
Fortunately, with treatment, most
people with anorexia will gain back the
weight they lost, and the physical
problems they developed as a result of
the anorexia will get better.
Bulimia
BULIMIA
The condition is marked by cycles of
extreme overeating, known as bingeing,
followed by purging or other behaviors to
compensate for the overeating.
It is also associated with feelings of loss of
control about eating.
BULIMIA
Unlike anorexia, people with bulimia
are often a normal weight.
But they have the same intense fear of
gaining weight and distorted body
image.
SIGNS: BULIMIA
Skipping meals or avoiding eating in
front of others, or eating very small
portions
Exercising excessively
Wearing baggy clothes to hide the
body
BULIMIA
If left untreated, bulimia can result in long-
term health problems such as abnormal heart
rhythms, bleeding from the esophagus due to
excessive reflux of stomach acid, dental
problems, and kidney problems.
BULIMIA
However, bulimia can be treated successfully
through cognitive-behavioral therapy,
certain anticonvulsant medicines,
antidepressants, or combinations of these
therapies.
Binge-eating Disorder
BINGE-EATING DISORDER
Rather than simply eating too much all the
time, people with binge eating disorder
have frequent episodes where they binge
on large quantities of food.
BINGE-EATING DISORDER
Like people with bulimia, they often feel out of
control during these episodes and later feel
guilt and shame about it.
The behavior becomes a vicious cycle, because
the more distressed they feel about bingeing,
the more they seem to do it.
BINGE-EATING DISORDER
Because people with binge eating disorder
do not purge, fast, or exercise after they
binge, they are usually overweight or
obese.
BINGE-EATING DISORDER
Unlike other eating disorders, binge eating
disorder is almost as common in men as it is in
women.
According to statistics from the National
Institute of Mental Health, the average age at
onset for binge eating disorder is 25, and it is
more common in people under age 60.
Match the given scenarios to
its appropriate eating
disorder
SCENARIO 1
Sarah, a 16-year-old girl, is very thin and
refuses to eat much, skipping meals and often
saying she feels fat even though she’s
underweight. She exercises excessively to lose
even more weight.
SCENARIO 1
Answer: Anorexia Nervosa
Sarah’s behavior of extreme dieting, fear of
gaining weight, and excessive exercise are
signs of anorexia nervosa.
SCENARIO 2
John, a 25-year-old man, frequently eats large
amounts of food in secret. After these
episodes, he feels ashamed and disgusted
with himself but does not try to get rid of the
food.
SCENARIO 2
Answer: Binge-Eating Disorder
John’s pattern of eating large amounts of food
in a short time, followed by feelings of guilt,
points to binge-eating disorder.
SCENARIO 3
Emily, a 22-year-old woman, often eats large
amounts of food in one sitting. Afterward, she
feels guilty and forces herself to vomit or uses
laxatives to get rid of the food.
SCENARIO 3
Answer: Bulimia
Emily’s cycle of binge eating followed by
purging through vomiting or laxatives is
characteristic of bulimia nervosa.
SCENARIO 4
Mike, a 30-year-old man, has episodes where
he feels like he can't stop eating, even when
he's not hungry. These episodes happen
regularly, and he feels distressed afterward.
SCENARIO 4
Answer: Binge-Eating Disorder
Mike’s experience of eating large amounts of
food and feeling out of control during these
episodes aligns with binge-eating disorder.
SCENARIO 5
Lisa, a 19-year-old college student, is
significantly underweight but is terrified of
gaining any weight. She restricts her food
intake severely and often checks her body in
the mirror.
SCENARIO 5
Answer: Anorexia Nervosa
Lisa’s severe restriction of food and intense
fear of gaining weight, despite being
underweight, are signs of anorexia nervosa.
How do you think we can
provide support to those
with eating disorders?
