Adolescence is the period between childhood and adulthood. Patton and others (2016) further delineate this period as early adolescence (ages 10–14 years), late adolescence (ages 15–19 years), youth (ages 15–24 years), and young adulthood (ages 20–24 years). Definitions of age groupings and age-specific terminology used in this volume can be found in chapter 1 (Bundy and others 2017). Worldwide, there are nearly 1.8 billion people ages 10–24 years, constituting one-quarter of the total population; 89 percent of young people (ages 10–24 years) live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Figure 11.1 shows some of the interactions of nutrition and development during the life course. Adolescent development is complex, with puberty, neurocognitive maturity, and social role transitions interacting in complex ways, all with important consequences for nutrition.
© 2017 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank.