Monkey Business Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Section 13-3 Nutrition Across the Lifespan 343 Nutrition During the Teen Years Like infancy, adolescence is a period of rapid growth. Teens are growing taller and gaining weight. Their bones are increasing in density. Their muscles are developing in size and strength. Proper development requires good nutrition. Busy schedules, however, often cause teens to skip meals. Many teens also select snack foods that are high in fats and sugars and low in other nutrients. Therefore, nutrient needs do not always get met. Meals and snacks for teens must provide the nutrients needed for growth and maintenance of strong, healthy bodies. Foods must also supply enough energy to meet a teen’s high level of activity. Special Needs of Vegetarians During the teen years, many young people try new eating patterns. One type of pattern followed by a number of teens is a vegetarian diet. This diet largely or entirely provides foods from plant sources. People choose vegetarian diets for various reasons. These reasons include health, economy, religious beliefs, animal rights, and availability. People who follow vegetarian diets are called vegetarians. The four groups of vegetarians are described by the types of animal foods they consume. • Vegans consume no foods of animal origin. • Lacto vegetarians include dairy products, but exclude meat, poultry, fi sh, and eggs. Monkey Business ImImages/Shutterstock.comcomk.tterstochu/Sages 13-12 Balanced meals provided by the school lunch program are designed to meet the nutrient and energy needs of young children.