Impact of Malnutrition for Teens

Teens who could not get enough nutrients commonly found in fruits and fish are more susceptible to lung condition that is below normal, asthma, cough and shortness of breath, researchers said.

They found that adolescents with intake of fruit and especially vitamin C had the lowest lung weaker compared with other teens. Teens who ate less vitamin E, found in vegetable oils and nuts, were more likely to have asthma, Jane Burns and colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Based on these findings, Burns said the recommended dose of Vitamin C 85 mg a day, may not be enough for teens to have healthy lungs.
Many studies have connected unhealthy eating habits with lung problems. So Burns and colleagues surveyed and tested 2,112 12th-graders from the United States and Canada.
In keeping with previous surveys, they found that many teenagers ate fruit and vegetables in amounts less than the suggested, they reported in their study - published in the journal "Chest". Only 11 percent took vitamin supplements on a daily basis.
Teens who ate less fruit and fewer omega-3 fatty acids were more likely to have asthma and respiratory symptoms such as wheezing.
In fact, omega-3 fatty acids moderate amounts of protective, Burns said in a telephone interview, though fish, the best source of omega-3, was not popular among teenagers. Omega-3 is also found in walnuts and some green vegetables.
Omega-3 fatty acids may work by counteracting inflammation in the lungs. The antioxidant properties of Vitamins C and E and other compounds found in fruit likely protect cells lining the airways from free radical damage, Burns said.
Smokers who also shirked vitamin C increased their odds of coughing, wheezing and phlegm, Burns said. A quarter of adults they studied were smokers.
More than 40 percent of teens consume Vitamin C in doses are recommended - especially from fruit drinks, the researchers said. "I would not advocate drinking fruit punch, but at least they get Vitamin C from other sources," said Burns.
The researchers did not account for poverty and other factors that often distinguish less-healthy eaters and may explain their findings.
Burns added that there are several different ways to get the necessary nutrients. "I think vitamin supplements are fine. I think adding vitamin D to orange juice is pretty good. I do think there are benefits that we do not fully understand to eating whole foods like fruits and vegetables and fish," he said