More than 45 percent of teenagers spent NT$2,000 per month last year, with half of them using most of the money to buy snacks and beverages, a Ministry of Health and Welfare survey released on Monday found.
The survey — which investigated spending habits of teenagers in Taiwan last year — found that 45.9 percent of teenage respondents spend more than NT$2,000 per month, among which 37.8 percent were junior-high students and 52.6 percent high-school or vocational-school students.
However, 17.7 percent of the teenagers said that they had no allowance to spend, it showed.
Although both genders spend most of their allowance on food and drinks, differences arose in how they use the remaining funds, as the No. 2 and No. 3 choices for boys were savings, and books and stationery respectively, while those of girls were books and stationery, and clothing respectively.
Another study from the ministry’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA) showed that children have do not eat enough meat and protein, while their consumption of calcium-rich dairy products is extremely low.
It showed that 37.3 percent of students drink at least one non-carbonated sweetened beverage per day, while 13.4 percent drink at least one soda per day.
The same study also found that 34.6 percent of students eat fast food at least once a week.
Sugar-added beverages contain calories with no nutrition value, while a low intake of iodine, calcium and iron could lead to impeded bone and brain development for teenagers, the HPA said.
Many studies have proven that sugars inhibit the production of growth hormone in teenagers, which might cause stunted growth, Nutrition Foundation of Taiwan chief executive Wu Ying-rong (吳映蓉) said.
Parents should communicate more with their teenage children about what kinds of food and drinks they consume every day, Wu said, adding that sugar-free soy milk and dairy milk, rich in protein and calcium, are better alternatives to sweetened drinks.
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