Nutrition in Child Athletes and Role of Parents (Episode 1)
As in every child, it is very important for children who do sports to have a balanced and healthy diet at an adequate level for their general health, growth, development and sports performance.
Athlete children with a well-balanced diet can perform well for longer, be more mentally active, and rest more quickly after training and races, and recover more quickly if injured.
Main Purpose in Nutrition
The main purpose of feeding children (between 2 and 10 years);
- * To facilitate growth and development
- * Children need more daily protein per body weight than adults because of their growth functions as well as their bodily metabolic needs.
The main purpose in adolescent (10 – 19 years old) nutrition;
- * Adolescents are a group at high risk of malnutrition.
- * Malnutrition in this group; It can cause problems such as growth retardation, decrease in physical and mental development and an increase in the risk of developing chronic diseases in the future.
- * Therefore, the need for sufficient energy and nutrients for proper growth, development and maturation is high.
- * In addition, adolescence is a time when the foundations of the individual's lifelong relationship with food are formed, while the importance of the connection between diet, exercise and body image is adopted.
Risks in Child and Adolescent Nutritional Disorders:
- * Not enought feeding
- * Body perception change
- * Eating disorders
- * Fast food orientation
Nutrition in Child Athletes
Child athletes, just like adult athletes, need appropriate nutrition in order to both maintain their health and achieve the highest performance.
While performance-oriented nutrition is required for adult athletes, nutrition for child athletes should be based on physical growth and development as well as performance.
The benefits of fat and carbohydrates, protein and energy needs, and adequate fluid and electrolyte balance are required for energy during exercise.
Children's Daily Energy and Some Nutrient Requirements
| AGE | WEIGHT | ENERGY | PROTEIN | CALCIUM | IRON | B1 VIT. | B2 VIT. | C VIT. |
| year | av. kg | Kcal | gr | gr | mg | mg | mg | mg |
| 4 - 6 | 18 | 1700 | 31 | 500 | 9 | 0,7 | 11,2 | 51 |
| 7 - 9 | 25 | 2100 | 38 | 500 | 10 | 0,9 | 13,9 | 50 |
Athlete Kids Need Extra Energy
- * Child athletes have a higher energy need per kilogram than adults. It is important to meet this need from the right sources and to provide the right education to the athlete child in this regard.
- * Children who are constantly on the go should eat regularly to keep their energy levels high. At least 6 meals for increased energy needs.
- * Consuming carbohydrate foods can provide them with extra energy.
- * If children cannot eat regularly because they are too busy or too tired, the foods they consume may not be enough. This is usually seen in the evening, because the snacks that children consume after they come back from school or sports become more important than food.
- * Providing healthy foods quickly and adding them to their diet can be a solution.
Energy Expenditure in Children by Sports
Low Intensity Energy Expenditure: (4 kilocalories/minute – 200 kilocalories/minute)
- * Ping pong
- * Bicycle (13 km/h)
- * Equestrian
- * Tennis (Double)
- * Gymnastics
- * Walking (6 km/h)
- * Football
Moderate Energy Expenditure: (5.5 kilocalories/minute – 330 kilocalories/minute)
- * Basketball
- * Bicycle (15-20 km/h)
- * Equestrian (galloping)
- * Ice Hockey
- * Ice skating (13 km/h)
- * Running (9 km/h)
- * Roller skates
High Intensity Energy Expenditure: (7 kilocalories/minute – 420 kilocalories/minute)
- * Bicycle (21 km/h)
- * Judo
- * Karate
- * Running (9 km/h
The daily energy requirement of a child skating for 1 hour a day can be calculated practically as follows;
- * Daily Basal Energy: 80 kcalx 45 kg = 3600 kcal
- * Energy spent in ice skating for 1 hour: 330 kcal
- * Total: 3930 kcal/day
(end of episode -1)
The first part of my article about the nutrition of children who do sports and the role of parents ends here. In the second part of my article, we will talk about the importance and role of nutrition, protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
I wish you all happy and healthy days...
