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Childhood is a time when nutritional needs are great because children are constantly growing and need the raw materials from their food to do so. If your child is also practicing sport regularly then their needs for sufficient good quality nutrition are even greater. Growth and intensive physical activity can be effected adversely if the diet does not cover these increased requirements. The demand for fuel can rise dramatically, depending on the activities, so parents really need to be sure that their kids’ diets are providing them with what they need.
Your Growing Sporty Child Or Adolescent
Anyone under the age of ten or eleven is considered a growing child, and from roughly 10-19 years of age is considered an adolescent. Adolescence is marked by puberty and a rapid growth rate, while growth during childhood is slower.
The current RDA (recommended daily allowance) for children aged seven to ten years old is 2000 calories, for adolescents, the RDA for energy intake is 3000 (boys) and 2200 calories (girls) per day.
This obviously may vary widely depending on a child's maturational development, but bear in mind that a lot of sporting activity may mean an additional need of 500-1000 calories per day. Charting your child's growth pattern and comparing it to established standards is probably the best way to ensure your child is eating enough (or too much). Overall, children should be encouraged to consume three meals a day plus nutrient-rich snacks.
The Importance Of Fluid Intake
Drinking enough fluid is vital for the growing athletic child. While appropriate nutrition ensures proper growth during and throughout development, achieving adequate hydration has immediate effects - like preventing heat stress, heat stroke, and even death. For anyone exercising, the primary mechanism for releasing heat is through sweating. Unfortunately, kids can't and don't sweat as much as adults, even though their little bodies can overheat faster.
This, of course, can be dangerous, and therefore they need lots of water. So ensure they drink plenty of water at all times not just before, during or after exercise. Avoid sports drinks which will give a short burst of energy, leaving their energy to crash later on, affecting blood sugar balance and the adrenal glands which long term will affect energy levels.
Sports drinks and other specialty foods and snacks are marketed on the notion that they will boost athletic performance. Student athletes may be tempted to buy into the hype and believe that they need to purchase these items in order to perform at their best, but in reality, a well balanced diet rich in nutrients and plain old water is a better choice than a sugar laden drink. Most active kids need only to eat well and stay hydrated for optimal performance.
Teenagers - In A League Of Their Own!
We generally have much more influence over what our younger children eat but as they get older it’s increasingly harder to have control over their diet. Unfortunately, teenagers, probably as a result of peer pressure and newfound independenc, have very unpredictable dietary habits. Although some eat everything in sight, some view food as the enemy and avoid it, either to stay thin or to compete successfully in sports such gymnastics or dance. Many also skip breakfast, eat a lot of fast-food and junk food, and rely heavily on supplements.
One study demonstrated that 92% of high school female athletes knew the importance of calcium yet only 12% of them met the RDA for calcium. This is unfortunate when they are at such a critical time in their lives for developing bone mass.
Especially when we know that intense exercise in females can lead to amenorrhoea (lack of periods) and a significant decrease in bone density so proper calcium intake is exceedingly important. Exercise induced amenorrhoea, a not uncommon occurrence in females participating in ballet and gymnastics, can lead to a decline in oestrogen, a highly beneficial bone hormone. Research has indicated that prolonged amenorrhoea (two to three years) can cause irreversible bone loss. To combat this, teenagers need 1200-1500 mg of calcium daily to optimise bone health. Calcium can be found in green leafy vegetables, trout, sardines, cows and goat produce, orange juice, tofu and oats.
Iron is another crucial mineral for adolescents. Lack of iron limits exercise tolerance, while adequate amounts aid proper growth and improved athletic performance. Again, females are more at risk for iron deficiency due to menstrual blood loss so therefore need about 15 mg of iron daily and should to eat iron-rich foods such as red meat, poultry, and plenty of green vegetables. (Parsley is an incredibly high source.) An iron test can be arranged by your GP if you are concerned about your daughter and the best supplement to give them if they are deficient is one called Spatone, which is natural, easily absorbed and doesn’t cause constipation like the synthetic type prescribed on the NHS.
Improving Your Childs Athletic Performance
If they're not eating enough to grow, they're certainly not getting enough calories to thrive athletically so a healthy, well balanced diet cannot be underestimated. Encourage kids to drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after exercise and as always, to eat breakfast and promote healthy snacking; this ensures adequate energy that will last throughout the day.
As a very important note, do not restrict foods based on their fat content. Fat is a major source of energy, especially in children and adolescents, and provide most of the fuel for endurance events. Fat is also essential for hormone production but stay away from junk foods and sources high in saturated fats (these should make up no more than 10% of total calories) and encourage consumption of healthy fats such as those contained in oily fish, nuts, seeds and olive oil.
What To Eat
Their carbohydrates need to be unrefined, slow burning, low to medium GI foods, such as brown rice, pulses, oats. These carbs will sustain them for longer.
You also, as mentioned above, need to give them good fats from oily fish, olive oil, nuts and seeds. Protein is also, of course, important but in a natural form (see below under Protein Powders).
Many people are unaware that intense exercise causes free radicals in the body. Therefore, it is essential that the diet contains plenty of anti-oxidants in the form of fruit and vegetables, in order to mop up these free radicals so that they don’t cause damage to the body.
Here are a few basic rules:
Protein And Protein Powders
Whatever the companies who make these powders may say about protein powders being necessary for building muscle and burning fat, they are not essential if you train alongside a good balanced diet. In fact according to The National Dietetic and Nutrition survey, men already consumes 50% and women nearly 40% more protein than the normal daily requirement and protein overload can put stress on the kidneys and liver and can be a cause of arthritis and gout.
If excess protein can do this to the liver and kidneys of adults, it will be even more of a concern for children. Protein powders can also be dehydrating. And remember, they are high calorie and will turn into fat and not muscle if not utilised by the body. So stick to natural protein such as eggs, chicken, red meat, fish, pulses, quinoa, soy and buckwheat which are all good natural sources of protein.
When To Eat
During exercise the main blood flow is directed away from digestion and towards the muscles. As a result, the body ideally needs to be allowed two hours to digest food prior to training.
Eat within an hour of training – the body will be depleted and need nourishment to replenish energy stores and repair damage to muscle cells.
Resting every 48 hours gives your body a chance to rebuild muscle fibres and strengthen the immune system (even Olympic athletes get one day of complete rest a week!).
Article by Vanessa May, Nutritional Therapist BSc, CNHC, NTC and BANT reg.
www.wellbeingandnutrition.co.uk
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