During their teen years, young men and women begin to flirt with their independence, which extends into nutrition. They spend more time away from the family dinner table during what is a crucial point in their development.

“Younger bodies have the potential to be much healthier than older bodies that have been neglected,” says nutritionist Lisa Petty, the author of Living Beauty. All this healthful potential faces plenty of challenges, though. For teens, a few lifestyle changes can help develop healthy lifelong habits, but adults must keep their eyes open.

When kids are younger, parents tend to decide what and when they eat, says Andrew Shao, PhD, at the Council for Responsible Nutrition. Later, “when they become full-blown adults, they learn the ins and outs of nutrition. It’s in this in-between time as teenagers when you want the independence, but you don’t know all the ropes.”

A Strong Foundation

Some parents share their teens’ lack of knowledge. What’s worse, many adults don’t even realize their effect on their offspring. “Parents have to take more responsibility for feeding their children,” says clinical nutritionist Shari Lieberman, PhD, CNS, FACN.

“If you’re building the house of your health, medication and supplements are like wooden trim around the window,” says Holly Lucille, ND, RN. But every house needs a solid foundation, and “that’s where diet, exercise, sleep, and how you moderate your stress come in.”

In the 1970s, Stanford University researchers discovered that teenagers require one to two hours more sleep than their younger peers, yet today most receive one to two hours fewer. Growing evidence finds that inadequate sleep affects learning, growth, behavior, and emotional balance.

Dr. Lucille advises teens to grab eight to nine hours of sleep a night. “Sleep is where you relax and repair; it’s restorative. Your day starts the night before.” And the sooner kids learn how to handle stress, the better, says certified nutritionist and author Marcia Zimmerman, MEd, CN, who has worked with two California schools to improve students’ nutrition.

“They’re pushed around from one thing to another. Parents are concerned with keeping them involved, but they’re never allowed any quiet time,” says Zimmerman. “They have to be doing something all the time. If we raise them that way, they’ll never have the skills to handle stress as they get older, and that’s huge.”

The Teen Diet

The adults in a teen’s life need to set the example—right now. Encourage kids to eat the same nutritious foods that you do. Produce should take the lead in a meal. Dr. Lieberman recommends low-glycemic foods, such as fruits and vegetables, which are higher in fiber and make you feel full.

Petty finds appealing to teens’ vanity can encourage them to follow a healthier lifestyle, which supports skin health. Dr. Shao, however, favors an “all-inclusive approach to be successful, to be healthy, and part of the payoff is a great performance and staying healthy. You can’t pitch nutrition as a short-term remedy. It’s more about a long-term approach, getting them involved in a healthy lifestyle, in general.”

Don’t Forget a Multi

Supplements are key to the health of teens (not to mention adults), but are just one part of the solution. “A poor lifestyle with supplements is still a poor lifestyle,” says Dr. Shao. At minimum, teens should take a multivitamin. According to a recent study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, teens who take a daily multivitamin supplement have a healthier diet and lifestyle than those who don’t. Study authors note that adolescents who took vitamins exercised more, watched fewer hours of TV, and didn’t smoke as much. Still, teens face several issues that require more than a multivitamin, regardless of its quality.

Bone Health

During childhood, more bone is deposited than withdrawn. Up to 90 percent of peak bone mass is acquired by age 18 in girls and age 20 in boys. Boning up doesn’t just refer to studying for the SATs—the teen years are a crucial time to build strong bones. Unfortunately, this is also a time when adolescent girls tend to ditch milk for low-calorie soft drinks.

Vitamins C, D, E, and the minerals magnesium and calcium are ideal, Dr. Shao says, especially since most “teens aren’t eating the type of diet that is rich in these nutrients.” In addition to calcium, Zimmerman recommends magnesium and trace minerals to build and maintain bones and teeth. “Vitamin D for absorption and vitamin K for bone mineralization are also needed,” she adds.

Supplementation is necessary, Dr. Lucille believes, because trace minerals in the diet have been largely obliterated thanks to a compromised food chain and depleted soil. She adds, “Those are the deficiencies we’re looking at over time that start to contribute to poor bone health.”

Skin Health

Acne affects more than 20 million teenagers. Likely a result of overactive oil glands rather than hygiene, teenage acne most commonly occurs on the face and upper body. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) help keep skin smooth and soft while dissolving fatty deposits that block pores. A high-quality multivitamin/mineral is also helpful, since several deficiencies—including potassium and B vitamins—are associated with acne.

Healthy skin is more than just looking good, says Petty. Hydration is also important. Petty is a big fan of EFAs, such as those found in fish oil, to keep the skin’s cells hydrated. “When our skin dries out, it tears more easily. And anywhere the skin surface is torn, more pathogens can get in.”

Digestion needs to be in good order because nutrients are absorbed by the vital organs first, then by the skin. For glowing skin, Petty recommends taking probiotics, beneficial bacteria present in the digestive tract. Probiotics replenish the healthy bacteria that help reduce skin outbreaks.

Mood Support

Anyone who has lived with a teenager—or remembers being one—knows what a turbulent time this can be. When the body starts producing estrogen and progesterone in girls and testosterone in boys, these hormones can cause not only physical changes but also emotional ups and downs.

According to Dr. Lucille, amino acids are key when it comes to mood support. “All your neurotransmitters [chemical substances that transmit nerve impulses across a synapse] come from certain amino acids.”

Speaking of the brain, Zimmerman recommends another essential fatty acid, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which helps provide fluidity to cell membranes and improve communication among brain cells. “It’s so important; it’s a major component of brain tissue,” she says. “You have 100 trillion cells and every single one of those cells has DHA as part of its structure.” Maintaining healthy cell structure in the brain is essential for regulating mood, emotions, and preventing depression. Low levels of EFAs are common in people with mood disorders and have also been linked to attention deficit disorder. Also available as a supplement, DHA is found in algae and coldwater fish.

Known for their gentle effect on mood, aromatherapeutic essential oils provide another option for teens. Bergamot has a balancing effect and helps lift depression. Clary sage is found to elevate mood and promote deeper sleep. Grapefruit is effective for balancing emotions and aiding mood swings. Jasmine also helps promote emotional balance. Add a few drops to a diffuser or cotton ball and place in your teenager’s room.

Weight Issues

The prevalence of dietary supplement use among adolescents is on the rise, and studies indicate that some of the most appealing supplements are those that enhance physical appearance. Whether teenage boys are trying to bulk up or girls are trying to slim down, body image is a major concern for this age group, sometimes leading to unhealthy weight-control behaviors. Eating disorders can affect anyone, regardless of sex or age. But young women tend to be more likely to develop anorexia or bulimia.

The best way to protect teens from encountering the dangers of an eating disorder is for parents to set a good example at home. “Your children are watching you,” says Dr. Lieberman. “They’re watching what you do, what you eat. They’re hearing what you say. If you have a sick relationship with food, unfortunately, chances are your children will as well.”

In cases of eating problems, seek professional support. Dr. Lieberman also recommends B vitamins, which have a variety of functions from reducing stress and anxiety to helping with brain function, and zinc, which is important to increase taste and appetite. Supplemental calcium is again important if teens aren’t eating regularly and meeting their daily calcium requirements—over time, eating disorders can weaken bone.