Pregnant adolescents have also recommended that foods used in educational materials be shown as they are eaten (e.g., salad, not the whole head of lettuce), be appealing, and emphasize multiple food choices ( Skinner et al., 1996). Pregnant adolescents have identified that nutrition messages should include information on eating appropriately for the baby's and mother's health, offer advice on foods for physical comfort, and emphasize specific foods rather than nutrients ( Skinner, Carruth, Ezell, & Shaw, 1996). Adolescents are very careful about their behavior and try hard to fit into established groups to be accepted among their peers.Īdolescents tend to think concretely and can relate to specific foods better than vague nutrients of which they have little knowledge.
Peer-group pressures and the acceptance of those around them often determine adolescent behavior. Adolescents tend to be self-focused, and many believe that no one understands them or their situation ( Gullota et al., 1999). Adolescence is characterized by an invincibility that is often heard in the phrase, “It won't happen to me.” Adolescents often exhibit risky behavior, and early adolescents, in particular, are often unable to see future consequences of their current behaviors ( Gullota, Adams, & Markstrom, 1999). The increase in growth generally begins around the early adolescent years (10 or 11 years of age for girls and 12–13 years of age for boys) and can last until early adulthood ( Dudek, 2001).
While no longer experiencing the rapid changes associated with early childhood, adolescents undergo a period of rapid growth and maturation as the ability to reproduce is gained. Adolescence represents the second major growth phase in an individual's life.
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