NUTRITIONIST’S VIEW
                                                  A
                                                   by Stella Lucia Volpe, Ph.D., R.D., LDN, FACSM
                                 Young Athletes Nutritional Needs
                                            for Optimal Performance
                       ith the increase in sports
                       participation of young
             Wathletes,there is a greater
             need for health professionals to
             understand young athletes’ needs and
             to not consider them as ‘‘little adults.’’
             Growing athletes need to consume
             about 2,200 Kcal/day and possibly
             even more, depending on the particular
             sport and how frequently the athlete
             is involved in that sport. In addition,
             this varies if an athlete is a 100-lb
             gymnast versus a 150-lb football player.
                Between 7 and 10 years of age, girls
             and boys typically consume between
             1,600 and 2,400 Kcal/day. At about
             10 to 12 years of age, however, girls
             start their growth surge; therefore, they
             should add about 200 Kcal/day above
             their usual intake to support this          nutrition literature, and no one really    health professionals discuss nutrition,
             growth. Boys start their growth spurt       seems to define these terms. In            it seems as though our message is one
             about 2 years after girls do and should     brief, young athletes should maintain      of all or nothing—‘‘all healthy foods
             consume about 500 Kcal/day more             high nutrient density in their food        and nothing else.’’ This tends to be an
             than their usual intake. There are          choices—foods that provide energy          ineffective approach, unless there is a
             several things that need to be taken        but not at the cost of nutrients. Simply   medical need to do so. Food needs to
             into consideration when determining         stated, young athletes should consume      be enjoyed, and to prevent disordered
             how much more a young athlete               more complex carbohydrates, such           eating, especially in young children, we
             should consume during his/her growth        as brown rice or whole-grain breads,       need to encourage balance and variety,
             surges: body size, activity intensity       over white rice or white bread, most       which occasionally can include foods
             and frequency, metabolic rate, muscle       of the time. And although carrots are      that may not be the healthiest.
             mass, and body weight at the start of       a healthy food, eating a varied and           So, how can we make nutrition fun
             the growth spurt. Although a slightly       balanced diet does not mean that one       and impart the importance of it to
             overweight young athlete should not         should consume a pound of carrots          strong athletic performance? First,
             focus on weight loss, especially with       every day, simply because they are         we as health professionals, coaches,
             training, the increase in kilocalories per  ‘‘good for you.’’ A varied and balanced    parents, and teachers need to practice
             day with growth spurts may need to          diet also does not mean that a young       what we preach. For example, we
             be adjusted to be sure that weight gain     athlete cannot have ‘‘fun’’ foods          cannot expect children to stay away
             is associated with muscle mass and          such as ice cream or french fries, but     from soda if we drink and buy such
             less with fat mass.                         these foods need to be consumed in         items. We need to show the children
                It is important that young athletes      moderation. They may be tasty, but         that we are able to consume a ‘‘varied
             consume a varied and balanced diet to       high consumption of such foods will        and balanced diet’’ just as we want
             ensure enhanced athletic performance        lead to decreased performance and          them to do. Furthermore, we need to
             and optimal growth. We hear the term        health. Perhaps these are obvious          engage in healthy exercise to show
             ‘‘varied and balanced’’ a lot in the        points, but many times when we as          our children that an active lifestyle
                                                  A
             30     ACSM’S HEALTH & FITNESS JOURNAL   SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006                                                     VOL. 10, NO. 5
                            Copyright © Lippincott  Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
                                                                  ANUTRITIONIST’SVIEW
              is important at all ages. Finally, and                                                         professionals, be good role models
              somewhat off topic but related to                                                              for these child athletes; it will lead
              sport, we need to practice good                                                                to healthy lifetime habits for these
              sportsmanship, no matter at what                                                               children.
              level the young athlete is competing.
                 Another way young athletes can                                                              Summary
              enhance performance potential is to                                                            Child athletes require more energy
              eat a healthy breakfast. In a busy                                                             than a sedentary child, because of the
              lifestyle to which we all seem to have                                                         excess energy expended. Having the
              adapted, breakfast is the one meal that        not enter practice when hungry                  proper amount and types of foods
              seems to have fallen by the wayside.           or hypoglycemic. Consuming a                    needed for strong performance and
              If breakfast is consumed at all, it is         well-balanced dinner, followed by               growth is imperative for these young
              often eaten on the run. Children need          a healthy evening snack also will help          athletes. Being good role models also is
              to take time for breakfast. It helps           with overall cognitive and athletic             important and can make the greatest
              fuel their depleted glycogen stores,           performance as well as growth. If a             impact on what the young athlete
              helps with normal growth, helps them           child athlete also works out in                 chooses when the parents, coaches,
              think better and perform better at             the morning, a snack later in the               and/or health professionals are not
              school, and makes them less ravenous           evening will be helpful, especially             watching.
              at lunch time. Children also should            if he/she is not able to eat much
              bring snacks to school. If they are            early in the morning. See the Table                                Stella Lucia Volpe,
              allowed to keep them in their desks or         for snack ideas for the growing                                    Ph.D., R.D., LDN,
              lockers, they can at least have small          child athlete.                                                     FACSM, is an
              snacks throughout the day, before                 Hydration also is key. Water is, of                             associate professor and
              and after lunch, so that they do               course, a great choice for both children                           the Miriam Stirl
                                                             and adults for hydration; however,                                 Term Endowed chair
               Table. Examples of Snack Foods                drinking low-fat/skim milk, sports                                 in Nutrition in
               for Child Athletes—Foods They                 drinks, and 100% fruit juices will help         the Division of Biobehavioral and
               Can Easily Keep in Their Lockers              the child with hydration and provide            Health Sciences at the University of
               or Desks at School                            some energy. Keeping water bottles              Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. She
               Food Item                                     in their lockers or desks will again help       is a member of the Gatorade Sports
               Cheese and whole-wheat crackers               to prepare young athletes for their             Nutrition Board. Her degrees are in
               Fruit (apples, bananas, pears); if            afternoon workouts.                             both nutrition and exercise physiology,
                                                                Fueling a young athlete after                and she is ACSM Exercise Specialist1
                 canned packs, then in water or fruit
                 juices, but not sweetened                   exercise is critical to recovery and            certified. Dr. Volpe’s research focuses
               Granola or granola bars                       subsequent performance. Meals and               on obesity and diabetes prevention,
               Pretzels                                      snacks that provide enough energy,              using traditional interventions, mineral
               Graham crackers with peanut butter            variety, and balance are important for          supplementation, and, more recently,
                                                             maintaining performance and growth.             by altering the environment to result
               Half of a peanut butter and jelly             This is largely placed upon the parents         in greater physical activity and healthy
                 sandwich on wheat bread                     and, again, can be done easily,                 eating. Dr. Volpe is an associate
               100%Fruit juice or small sports drink         especially if the entire family eats            editor of ACSM’s Health & Fitness
                                                                                                                      1
                                                             well. So, parents, coaches, and health          Journal.
                                                                                                                                               1
              VOL. 10, NO. 5                                                       SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006    ACSM’S HEALTH & FITNESS JOURNAL         31
                              Copyright © Lippincott  Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.