Teen girls don’t always have the best nutrition. But to keep that teen exuberance going, evident in their moods and literally showing on their faces, they need to load up on fruits, vegetables (including legumes), whole grains, nuts and low-fat dairy products. Moderate amounts to eat are fish, red grape juice and olive oil. A diet that fits the bill, not really a diet at all but a lifestyle choice is the Mediterranean Diet.
The First Healthy Research Tip
Sodas and in particular colas have been linked to broken bones in teen girls. Grace Wyshak, Ph.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health found in a 2000 study that girls who were physically active and drank the most colas had five times the risk of broken bones. The researcher believes that the colas, containing phosphoric acid, leaches calcium out of bones. And if girls are drinking colas that means their calcium-building milk-drinking is reduced. To ward off future osteoporosis, adolescence is the time to build bone mass, not lose it.
The Second Healthy Research Tip
Evidence suggests teen girls should load up on soy, in the form of soy milk, soy nuts, tofu, and edamame, to lessen the risk of future breast cancer. In a 2006 review of 18 studies appearing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, it was found that there is less risk of breast cancer in adulthood if teen girls, especially those in pre-puberty, consume whole soy products and continue regularly through puberty and on into maturity.
The Third Healthy Research Tip
In 2005 the American Institute for Cancer Research sponsored an International Research Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer. Registered Dietician Karen Collins reported that researchers stressed the importance for teens, especially those in pre-puberty, to consume a low-fat diet teamed with Omega-3 fish oil as a way of lowering breast cancer risk later in life. Low-fat refers to eating less saturated fat found in dairy products and meat and less polyunsaturated fats found in vegetable oils and salad dressings.
The Fourth Healthy Research Tip
A study reported in the online May 13, 2008, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, reported that young women between the ages of 12 and 22 who engaged in regular physical exercise had a 23% reduction in the risk of breast cancer. The research was part of the Nurses’ Health Study II; women were asked about their physical activity and followed for six years. The exercise was strenuous, such as running (3.25 hours per week) or moderate, like walking (13 hours per week). Women who continued their exercise plan saw a persistent benefit of less breast cancer risk as they grew into maturity.
Research says, then, to be healthy and stay that way as they grow up, it’s best for teen girls to limit colas, eat soy products, pair low-fat food with Omega-3 fish oil, and be physically active. Parents, use these four research studies to guide your spirited teen into a healthy, dynamic adulthood.
Reference
“The Mediterranean Mark.“ Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust, accessed September 22, 2008.
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