Your teenager

In many respects, the nutrient and energy needs of teenagers are higher than those of any other age group.

Healthy active young people can have large appetites and it's important for them to eat food of high nutritional value in the form of well balanced meals, rather than too many snacks that are rich in fat, sugar or salt. Fruit, nuts and dried fruit make healthier snacks than crisps and sweets.

What to eat

Teenagers should be eating a healthy balanced diet that matches their energy needs. A healthy balanced diet means a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and starchy foods, that also contains moderate amounts of foods rich in protein, milk and dairy foods.

Foods high in fat, particularly saturated fat, sugar or salt, should only be eaten in small amounts or not very often.

• Milk, cheese, yoghurt, soya beans, tofu and nuts are good sources of calcium, which is needed for healthy bones and teeth.
• Breakfast cereals and margarine that have vitamins added, and oily fish, are good sources of vitamin D. Vitamin D helps keep a good supply of calcium in the blood. The main source of vitamin D is from the action of sunlight on skin, but we should all avoid strong sun, especially around midday, when there is a risk of burning.
• Iron is needed for healthy blood. Research has shown that some young people, particularly young women, are not having enough iron. Meat, particularly red meat, and fish, are rich sources of iron. Pulses (such as beans and lentils), green vegetables, and cereals with added vitamins are also good sources. Liver is another rich source of iron. But having liver or liver products such as pate more than once a week over many years may affect bone health in later life, this is because liver also contains high amounts of vitamin A.
• We should all eat at least two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily. Fish is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals and is low in saturated fat. Oily fish are also a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids. Young men can have up to four portions of oily fish a week, but young women should avoid having more than two portions of oily fish a week if they might have a child one day.
• Include foods containing folate - the natural form of folic acid - in your diet, such as green vegetables and brown rice, as well as fortified bread and breakfast cereals.
• Citrus fruit (such as oranges and lemons), tomatoes and potatoes are all good sources of vitamin C, which is essential for health. Vitamin C may help the body absorb iron, so it's a good idea to have fruit juice with an iron-rich meal.

What to avoid

Avoid eating shark, swordfish and marlin because these contain relatively high levels of mercury which, until the age of 16, might affect a young person's developing nervous system.

Healthy weight

If your teenager is active and eating a healthy balanced diet, they should be able to maintain a healthy weight.

If they're overweight, they should stick to a balanced diet, try to cut down on foods containing sugar and fat, and get plenty of physical activity.

In particular, it's a good idea to:

• cut down on sweets, cakes, biscuits and fizzy drinks
• eat fewer fatty foods such as chips, burgers and fried food
• eat regular balanced meals
• base meals on starchy foods, choosing wholegrain varieties whenever possible
• eat more fruit and vegetables

The focus should be on eating a healthy diet and being active rather than on losing weight.

Cutting down on salt

On average we're all eating too much salt. From the age of 11 we should be trying to eat no more than 6g salt a day.

Being vegetarian

If your teenager is vegetarian, it's important that their diet is balanced and includes all the necessary nutrients.

Because meat, fish and chicken are traditionally the main sources of protein, a vegetarian diet needs to include alternative sources of protein.

Milk, cheese, eggs and pulses (such as lentils and beans) are good sources.

Although meat is the best source of iron, it can also be found in pulses, green leafy vegetables and iron-enriched bread and cereals.

It might be easier to absorb the iron from our food if we eat it with foods that contain vitamin C, for example citrus fruits such as oranges.