Assessment of Nutritional Status of Adolescents: A Comprehensive Review

Adolescence represents a critical phase of human development, marked by accelerated physical, cognitive, and psychosocial growth, necessitating heightened nutritional requirements. This review explores global and regional adolescent nutritional issues, highlighting the complex interplay of undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies. With nutritional inadequacies prevalent across both low-middle-income and high-income countries, assessment methods ranging from anthropometric and dietary evaluations to biochemical and clinical analysis provide essential tools for diagnosing and managing adolescent malnutrition. The analysis emphasizes gender-specific nutritional needs and physiological changes unique to this age group. Furthermore, it addresses the broad implications of poor adolescent nutrition, including impaired growth, delayed puberty, increased risk for chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular conditions, and compromised academic and psychological outcomes. Global disparities reveal that while undernutrition and anemia dominate in resource-poor settings, obesity and related non-communicable diseases are more common in urban and affluent populations. Socioeconomic status, cultural norms, and food environments heavily influence adolescent diets, underscoring the need for comprehensive interventions. Programs such as school feeding schemes, nutrition education, and multi-sectoral policies—spearheaded by governments and supported by global entities like WHO and UNICEF—play a vital role in addressing these challenges. Ultimately, this review underscores the need for targeted, evidence-based strategies to optimize adolescent nutritional health and long-term well-being.