Nutritional needs of the female adolescent.

This paper emphasizes the need for adequate nutrition in order to sustain normal growth in adolescence. The special needs of the adolescent athlete and the pregnant teenager are also reviewed. Adolescent athletes require added nutrient intake for optimal performance. And, if pregnancy occurs, it imposes severe nutritional demands on the adolescent which must be met to prevent low birthweight infants. Although many teenagers consume a good deal of their food outside of the home, there seems to be little evidence of widespread nutritional deficiencies except with respect to iron. However, there is a high incidence of obesity and anorexia among female adolescents and these disorders are discussed.