Hesperian Health Guides
Chapter 5: Health Concerns of Girls
Sometime between the ages of 10 and 15, a child’s body begins to grow and change into an adult body. These can be exciting and difficult years. A young person may not feel like a child anymore, but also not like an adult—their body is somewhere in between and is doing new things they are not used to. What makes it harder is when no one talks about the changes, so you do not know what to expect. This chapter describes these changes for you as a girl or someone who can become pregnant, explains how to stay healthy as you grow, and gives information to help you make decisions for a healthy life.
Eating for healthy growth
One of the most important things a young person can do to stay healthy is to eat well. Bodies need enough energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals during their years of growth. Foods with calcium help bones grow strong.
In many places, girls are fed less than boys. Girls need as much food as boys, and getting enough to eat leads to less sickness, more success in school, and a healthier old age. People who can become pregnant need the right kinds of food to have healthy pregnancies and safe births in the future. When a person’s menstrual cycle begins, they begin to lose some blood each month. It is important to eat foods with iron to replace the blood lost and prevent anemia. For more information on eating well, see Chapter 11, “Eating for Good Health”.