Adolescent Nutrition and Dietary Patterns: A Narrative Review
Keywords:
Adolescent Nutrition, Dietary Behavior, School Based Intervention, Nutrition Education, Public Health Policy, Food Environment, Obesity PreventionAbstract
This narrative review explores the dietary patterns and nutritional challenges faced by secondary school adolescents across various global contexts. The study aims to synthesize recent evidence on adolescent nutrition, identify socio demographic determinants, and assess the effectiveness of school and community based interventions. Literature was gathered from databases such as Scopus and Google Scholar using keywords like "adolescent diet," "nutrition challenges," and "school based interventions." Inclusion criteria focused on studies from 2016 to 2024 covering dietary behavior, nutritional status, and education based programs. The review finds a prevalent trend of high intake of ultra processed foods, sugary snacks, and sweetened beverages, paired with insufficient consumption of fruits, vegetables, and micronutrient rich foods. This dietary imbalance is linked to rising rates of obesity, stunting, and iron and vitamin deficiencies, especially in low and middle income countries. Key contributing factors include family income, parental education, peer pressure, media influence, and school food environments. Although school based nutrition programs demonstrate positive short term outcomes, their long term effectiveness often depends on parental engagement and broader policy support. These findings highlight the urgency for multi sectoral strategies, including policy regulations, health education, improved food access, and digital interventions. Future research should focus on evaluating scalable interventions and culturally adaptive models. The study underscores that promoting healthy eating in adolescents is vital for shaping long term public health outcomes and achieving global nutrition targets.
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