Bound Volume Number

VII

Degree Type

Honors Capstone Project

Date of Submission

Spring 5-5-2015

Capstone Advisor

Dr. Lynn S. Brann

Honors Reader

Dr. Kay Bruening

Capstone Major

Nutrition Science and Dietetics

Capstone College

Sport and Human Dynamics

Audio/Visual Component

no

Keywords

adolescent, dietary recommendations

Capstone Prize Winner

no

Won Capstone Funding

no

Honors Categories

Professional

Subject Categories

Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition

Abstract

Diets of children and adolescents are often lacking in key nutrients due to their low intakes of important food groups (e.g. fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy). This study examined nutrients of concern for growing girls compared to dietary recommendations. Specifically iron and calcium were analyzed to determine the highest dietary sources of these micronutrients and the impact of supplementation on girls’ mean intake. This cross-sectional analysis used a subset of data from a longitudinal study of growth and development in active Caucasian girls (n=74). Dietary data and supplement use were collected using the Youth Adolescent Questionnaire (Rockett, Wolf & Colditz, 1995). Based on the girls’ age groups, information on intake of the key nutrients, with and without dietary supplements, was compared to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). All girls showed a lower vitamin D and calcium intake, even with supplementation usage, than is suggested by the DRI. While all girls met iron needs with supplementation included, the older girls (n=16, ages 14-18 years old) did not meet the RDA for iron without supplementation. The younger girls (n=58, ages 9-13 years old) did meet iron needs without supplementation. About half (47 percent) of the younger girls and about a third (33 percent) of the older girls reported consuming dietary supplements. Within this population of girls, particularly those 14-18 years old, nutrients of concern were identified, which included nutrients targeted as public health concerns. Further research needs to focus on examining the intake of key nutrients over time, with consideration to bioavailability and validity of dietary assessment, to identify strategies to improve the dietary intake of children and adolescents.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

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