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Teens at the Table
The American Medical Association Weighs in on Nutrition and Young People
Teens, especially girls, need to eat foods that are high in calcium, such as low-fat dairy products, fish with edible bones (such as salmon and sardines) and dark green vegetables (such as collard greens, broccoli and kale). They should have three or more servings a day of calcium-rich foods. Nearly all of a person's total bone mass is formed by the end of the teen years. Children who don't take in enough calcium may not develop their maximum potential bone mass. Building optimal bone mass by doing weight-bearing exercise and eating foods high in calcium can prevent or delay the onset of the bone-thinning disorder osteoporosis later in life.
Iron
The daily requirement for iron increases dramatically starting at age 10, especially between ages 11 and 18, because of increased muscle mass and an expanded volume of blood. Iron can be found in animal foods such as 
beef, chicken and turkey (especially the dark meat) or fish. Strict vegetarians can get their daily supply of iron from plant foods such as dried beans, leafy greens, nuts and dried fruits, but they will have to eat a larger volume of them to get sufficient iron.
Adolescent boys need more iron than when they were younger because of their increased growth rate. Girls need even more than boys to replace the iron lost during menstruation. Girls who lose a lot of blood during heavy menstrual periods are at risk of developing iron deficiency anemia. Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia include fatigue, irritability, headaches and tingling in the hands and feet.
