Health and nutrition in adolescents and young women: preparing for the next generation

Nutrition of young women and its effect on offspring is an almost neglected topic in developed and developing countries alike. Under- as well as overnutrition of the mother can negatively program the child's health: Maternal undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are related to both low birth weight and intrauterine growth retardation. Moreover, they also result in negative epigenetic programming both during conception and in the newborn. Obese mothers, on the other hand, may produce offspring with a lower life expectancy, a fact which could be related to the higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome in adult life.This book provides insights into the influence of maternal health and nutrition on both fetal and postnatal growth and health of the offspring. Contributions focus on future mothers from their adolescence to pregnancy, thus providing valuable information for the clinician involved in the care of adolescents and young women.

Cover -- Front Matter -- Contents -- Preface -- Foreword -- References -- Contributors -- Chairpersons & -- Speakers -- Moderators -- Participants -- Adolescent Health Globally: Issues and Challenges -- Abstract -- Adolescent Health and Development: A Global Perspective -- Adolescent Health Risks and Problems -- Health and Social Development in Adolescence -- Challenges and Opportunities -- Disclosure Statement -- References -- Preconception Care and NutritionInterventions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries -- Abstract -- Preconception Care - The Definition -- Nutritional Interventions: From Prenatal to Preconception -- Systematic Review on Preconception Risks and Interventions -- Optimizing Maternal Weight -- Preconception Nutrition Counselling -- Micronutrient Supplements -- Discussion and Conclusion -- Disclosure Statement -- References -- Adolescent Health and Nutrition in the US and Canada: An Overview of Issues and Determinants -- Abstract -- Social Determinants of First Nations Adolescents -- Education -- Transition from Pediatric to Adult Care -- Impact of the Environment -- Adolescent Alcohol and Substance Use -- Adolescent Parenting -- Adolescents in Foster Care in the US and Canada -- Adolescent Nutrition -- Ethnicity and Racism -- Immigrant Youth -- Conclusion -- Disclosure Statement -- References -- Nutrition Challenges and Issues of Relevance to Adolescents in Lowand Middle-Income Countries -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Puberty as a Discrete Window for Growth and Opportunity for Counteracting Stunting -- Nutrient Requirements during the Pubertal Growth Spurt -- Adolescence as a Key Physiological Development Period Affecting Future Reproductive Outcomes -- Adolescent Pregnancies and Associated Nutritional Issues -- Future Risks to the Offspring: Epigenetic Programming -- Conclusions -- Acknowledgements -- Disclosure Statement.