Kids aren’t just small adults; they have their own unique set of physiological & metabolic needs and a heightened requirement for specific nutrients in order to meet the needs of growth and development.   When you add heavy training schedules, school work and social activities on top of growth, the energy and nutrient demands of young athletes become very high.

 

If these needs aren’t met, young athletes can be at greater risk of nutritional deficiencies and  illness which means they are unable to train and compete to the best of their ability.  On the flip side though, if they get it right, the health and performance benefits are mulitple.

 

Helping young athletes to understand the role of nutrition in relation to their sport is so important.  It’s all about learning the basics, understanding what to eat, how much and when.  If we can get the basics right at a young age, it becomes second nature when you get older. There are many adult athletes who still don’t eat enough fruit or vegetables because they didn’t when they were kids so if we can encourage them to start thinking about it now, they’re already one step ahead of many of the athletes they currently look up to.

 

It’s definitely not about stopping kids from being kids, but learning early on the importance of getting their five a day or that McDonalds isn’t an appropriate pre-match meal, can help in the long-run for their careers. 

 

I also help young athletes to navigate their way safely through the numerous supplement pressures. A food first approach is taken with all athletes, but this is especially important in young athletes.