UTRITION

NUTRITION FOR THE SERIOUS YOUNG ATHLETETHE PRACTICAL APPROACH

by Jane Griffin BSc RD RNutr Children and adolescents have dietary requirements that are different from adults and those involved in sport at a competitive level are set apart even from other youngsters when considering the practical aspects of their diet. Underlying principles of the diet remain the same but lifestyle and the demands of training together with the requirements of the sport itself will necessitate some dietary modifications. A variety of different methods of collecting dietary data can be used to evaluate existing diets and eating patterns. Similarly the way that practical, workable advice can be given based on the data collected will vary depending on a number of factors including frequency of contact time, how much contact time is face-to-face and particular living situations such as living at home, boarding school, attending local college or away at university. Lifestyle issues can also hinder the development of the right diet particularly if time management skills are poorly devetoped. However young athletes may encounter problems which they have no control over, such as inappropriate school meals, excessive travel time to training sessions straight after school and financial constraints on the amount that can be spent on extra food.

ENERGY REQUIREMENTS
Childhood and adolescence are times of rapid growth and development with parallel increases in nutritional requirements. Because of the demands of growth, children require a higher energy intake than adults at comparable weights. Absolute energy needs for growth are higher during adolescence than in childhood years (see Box 1). Added to the estimate average requirements (EAR) for energy will be the extra energy cost of exercise in serious young athletes. A simple method of calculating total daily energy requirements is based on the Physical Activity Level (PAL) (1) where an assumption of the energy demands at school/college and during the rest of the day is made and using the basal metabolic rate (BMR) estimated average energy requirements can be calculated. A higher PAL value indicates a higher physical activity level (see Boxes 2 and 3). Poor energy intakes that do not match

requirements over a significant period of time can result in growth retardation, delayed puberty, poor bone health and increased incidence of injuries - and of course poor performance in training and competition or matches.

ADEQUATE FUEL
Carbohydrate and fat are both used as fuel sources but during prolonged exercise there is a preference for fat metabolism in children and a shift towards a preference for carbohydrate in adolescents. To sustain training over a number of months, children still depend on adequate carbohydrate stores to be present. There is certainly no evidence that fat intake should be more than 30% of total energy intake in children or adolescents. All serious young athletes need to be encouraged to refuel with suitable carbohydrate rich foods and fluids after all training sessions and competitions or matches. Poor eating habits such as regularly missing breakfast, frequent, inappropriate snacking (as opposed to refuelling) and

BOX 1 : ESTIMATED AVERAGE REQUIREMENTS (EARS) FOR ENERGY (KCAL/D) ( 1 )

Age in y e a r ^ ^ ^ _ . 7-10 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
1

mates'

'

females 1740 1845 2110 1940

1970 2220

1 1 U
19-50

^ ^ B^

mif

2 7 5 5
2550

m 1

m m

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high intakes of fast or take-away foods are all indicators that fuel intakes may not be ideal in quality or quantity.

PROTEIN REQUIREMENTS
Children and adolescents have slightly higher protein requirements than sedentary adults. As the protein requirements of adult athletes are higher than those of sedentary adults, i t is possible that those of young athletes might also be higher than their less active peers. Protein intakes have to meet the requirements of growth, development and the needs of the sport. However there are no published studies of young athletes' protein requirements and specific recommendations cannot be made. Muscle growth comes from consuming a diet containing sufficient energy, protein and other essential nutrients, a well-planned training programme and sufficient rest and recovery time. I t also comes from physical maturity, the stage of development when hormones are released in sufficient amounts to stimulate muscle growth. I t can generally be assumed that if energy requirements are being met and the diet contains a reasonable selection of foods including good sources of protein, the intake of protein will be sufficient to meet demands.

eg. protective clothing required in some sports can reduce the ability to cool down. Young swimmers, because they are already wet, often do not realise how much fluid they are losing through sweating, compared to say a tennis or netball player. The temperature and humidity of many swimming pools does not help the situation. Coaches, teachers and parents can be a great help by checking to make sure all young athletes have their own drinks

bottle (containing an appropriate fluid) before the start of all training sessions and competitions. Children do not instinctively or voluntarily replace fluid losses during exercise and yet they are at greater risk of dehydration than adults. Coaches and parents should remind children to drink frequently - ideally to a schedule of every 15 to 20 minutes, perhaps more frequently in warm/hot weather. Children should be allowed to drink until they feel their thirst has been quenched and then encouraged to drink

BOX 2: ESTIMATED AVERAGE REQUIREMENT ACCORDING TO BODY WEIGHT AND PHYSICAL ACnVITY LEVEL (KCAL/D) FOR FEMALES AGED 10-18 YEARS(l)

Bodyweight (kg) 30 35 40 45 50 55 ^

B M R (kcal) 1095 1162 1229 1295 1362

PALol.6 1752 1859 1966 2072 2179 2394

PAL-1.8 1971 2092 2212 2331 2452 2572 2693

PAL=2 2190 2324 2458 2590 2724 2858 2992

60 . ^ ^ H1

mmm||286
1496 BMR

: ESTIMATED AVERAGE REQUIREMENT ACCORDING TQ BODY WEIGHT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVEL (KCAL/D) FOR MALES AGED 10-18 YEARS (1)

FLUID REPLACEMENT
Serious young athletes are high risk candidates for dehydration. This is because they are not as efficient at thermoregulation and are more susceptible to heat stress than adults. Children are especially at risk as they are poor at coping with extremes of environmental temperature, sweat less, get hotter during exercise, have a Lower heart output and a greater surface area for their weight. Certain conditions can make things worse

Bodyweight (kg) 30 > ^ 35 40 45 # 50 55 60 65

PAL=1.6 (kcal)

PAL=1.8

PAL=2 2376 2552 2730 2906 3084 3260 3436 3614

^
1276 1365 1453 1542 1630 1718 1807

1901 H ^ IPl38 l
2042 2184 2325 2467 2608 2749 2891 2297 2457 2615 2776 2934 3092 3253

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NUTRITION
some more. This is because their thirst mechanism is poorly developed. Young athletes who are particularly irritable at the end of a training session should have their fluid intake monitored to assess how much they fluid they do generally drink. Fluids intakes can be improved by flavouring the drink and by adding sodium chloride and carbohydrate in the amounts that are typically found in sports drinks.

WORKING WITH SERIOUS YOUNG ATHLETES

Different methods of collecting dietary information can be used depending on the time available and the frequency that the athletes are seen. Two different approaches are described here. other soft drinks Rugby Football League An annual national training camp is held in October for under 14, under 15 and under 16 rugby League players {the best in the country in their respective age groups). Prior to the camp each player is sent a general questionnaire, a 7-day food diary and a supplement questionnaire which are then assessed prior to the camp. The dietary questionnaire highlights problems or potential problems such as do they always eat when hungry or do they put off eating if they are busy. Players who are struggling to gain weight invariably fall into the latter group. From the supplement questionnaire i t is possible to check what, if anything, they are using (hopefully nothing), who recommended they use the product and why they are using it. The food diary can provide a lot of information if it has been kept well ie. if it looks as if everything has been recorded over the week. Evidence of dried food and spills on the diary is actually an encouraging sign! From the diar^ it should be possible to assess what has been eaten and drunk on a daily basis: Number of refuellers Number of vegetables meals portions and of snacks fruit or and Amount of sports and energy drinks Hours of steep and rest with simitar probtem areas are seen in smalt groups and 'green' ptayers are not seen at att untess they request it. This system seems to work wett given the numbers and the minimat individuat contact time that is possibte. Each age group also gets two educationat sessions at the camp as wetl as a practical session on fluids. England Rugby Academy at a Premiership Club The England Rugby Academy structure operates at three levels. Level 1 is a National Academy for a select group of up to 60 players mainly in age groups U19U24. However for the majority of time they are based at their Premiership ctubs. Levet 2 inctudes the network of regional academies each of which serves a discreet geographicat area of the country and supporiis the devetopment of up to 300 young athtetes in age groups tJl6-U21. Levet 3 is concerned with estabtishing a comprehensive programme of tatent search and player devetopment. The author works on a one-day a week basis with tevel 1 and 2 ptayers based futl-time at one premiership ctub. This involves both educationat and practical sessions. It is the aim that each ptayer should be able to put into practice the theory they have learnt in the educational part of the programme. Practical sessions take place in supermarkets and in the players' kitchens (the majority live in Academy

The major areas that usually need to be addressed include frequency of putting off eating, lack of consistency across the week, variation in eating pattern and food types between weekdays and weekends and variable intakes of dairy foods, fruit and vegetables. The vast majority of players do now seem to eat plenty of carbohydrate-rich foods and enough protein-rich foods. However refuelling after training is not always ideal nor is fluid intake in terms of both what is drunk and the amount. Surprisingly, but reassuringly, supplement usage is not an issue. Most players get plenty of sleep but little rest time is recorded. The information is used in two ways at the camp. A presentation of the diary findings is given to all the parents when they drop their sons off at the start of the camp. This covers the main findings and key changes that need to be made. At the camp each player gets a chart showing the number of meats and portions etc they had each day together with a report highlighting good points and then bad points and practical ways they can improve things. Time is at a premium at the camp and it is not possibte to see every ptayer individuatly there are 40 in each age group. However when the diaries are assessed each ptayer is put into a green, amber or red group. Those in the 'red' group are seen individuatty during the camp, 'amber' ptayers

Number of portions of dairy foods Number of portions of meat, chicken, fish, eggs Number of portions of pasta, bread, cereals Number of portions of iron-rich foods Amount of water, squash, cola and

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YOUNG ATHLETES
houses owned/rented by the club). Some work can be done at the club such as a brainstorming sessions on how many different meals they can think up using Lean mince or chicken breasts. At the end of the programme ptayers shoutd be able to: Plan and shop for a week on their budget to meet their nutritional requirements and their personal preferences (ie. enjoy what they are eating) Prepare alt the meats so they their nutritionat requirements, into account cooking methods as the foods/ingredients used meats satisfy taking as welt in the Ftuids during training Ftuids around matches Typicat sweat tosses in training and matches Peeing habits (frequency, votume and
CO tour)

CONCLUSION
Serious young athtetes need sound, practicat advice if they are to fottow the type of diet that witl support their training and competition programme white ensuring that they grow and devetop healthity into serious adult athtetes. Ideatty this advice shoutd be backed up by educationat sessions so that the young athlete understands why their diet will be different from their less sporty friends. Advice shoutd be provided in a practical and workable form taking into account their individual living situation, their growth and development as welt as the nutritionat requirements of their sport. Different approaches witl be needed in different situations. This article describes two such approaches. THE AUTHOR Jane Griffin qualified from London University with a degree in Nutrition and a Postgraduate Diploma in Dietetics and is an Accredited Sports Dietitian. She is currently the Sports Dietitian to London Irish RFC (having previously worked with NEC Harlequins for three seasons) and at the Rugby Football League, She is also the sports dietitian to London Irish, London Wasps and NEC Harlequins England Rugby Academies. She has written extensively for a wide range of sports magazines and her first book Food for Sport ('Eat Well. Perform Better') was published by The Crowood Press in September 2001. Her second book 'Nutrition for Marathon Running' was published in August 2005 and she is currently writing her third book 'Food for Rugby'. References
1. Department of Health (DH). Dietary Reference Values for food Energy and Nutrients for the United Kingdom. Report of the Panel on Dietary Reference Values of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy. Report on Public Health and Social Subjects 4 1 . London: HHSO, 1991

Problem areas (eg. fatigue, cramp heavy tegs, stiff joints) How they rate their diet Any specific questions on diet and nutrition generatty and retating to sporting performance.

Demonstrate safety and hygiene In the kitchen, particutarty how different types of food shoutd be stored in cupboards, fridge and freezer Identify inappropriate ingredients in a recipe and make suitabte substitutes Identify basic foods which shoutd be stored in the kitchen so that appropriate meats can atways be prepared. Identify basic cooking equipment which should be in the kitchen and how to use it safely.

Individual monitoring At the beginning of pre-season training each academy player is seen individually for a consultation using a nutritionat assessment form designed by the author for use with this particular group. I t inctudes the fottowing sections: Generat information (name, date of birth, position etc) Medicat information (problems, medication, susceptibte to colds etc) Anthropometric information, inctuding any personat goats (gain muscte, tose body fat etc) Lifestyle information (living situation, cooking skitls, atcohot intake, steep pattern) Dietary information Food likes, distikes and any foods which they avoid (and why) Eating patterns Any history of diet-retated problems (eg. altergies) Typicat food intake on training days and rest days and timing in relation to training Typicat food intake on the day before, day of and day after matches and timing in retation to the match Fluid information approximate amount) Ftuids at home (what and

Food diaries Food diaries can be very useful tools, particutarty for monitoring changes and for educationat purposes. Diaries only give an indication of the type of foods and ftuids consumed and when they are consumed (particutarly in retation to training and matches). Any anatysis of the data by computer programme must not be considered as an accurate assessment of nutritionat intake. There are too many inaccuracies and assumptions. However, it can be a worthwhite exercise to keep a qualitative rather than a quantitative dairy (for 3, 5 or 7 days) to gain insight into what and when players eat and drink on training days, rest days and on pre-match and match days. An initial diary, followed by diaries kept at appropriate times once the educationat and practicat programmes are underway, gives an insight into the changes that are being imptemented as a resutt of the teaming processes. Feedback to players on a one to one basis must be carried out as soon as possibte after the diary has been kept. This includes talking through the written report and its recommendations and ensuring the player understands what changes need to be made and why they must be imptemented. The player must be comfortable with the suggestions and know how he witl fottow them.

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