Nutrition for Young Athletes

Summary:

This new edition provides guidelines for boosting performance, limiting risk, and promoting healthy development in young exercisers and competitors. Topics include: the relationship of motor development to sports activities; assessing nutrient needs; energy production; fluid and electrolytes; weight control and dieting; and much more.

Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Understand how to assess growth and development in children and adolescents.
2. Understand the relationship of maturation and training.
3. Discuss how body composition relates to athletic performance.
4. Describe five factors that increase the risk of dehydration in children, compare to adults.
5. Provide fluid replacement guidelines for young athletes before, during, and after activity.
6. Understand how to help prevent heat disorders in young athletes.
7. Provide appropriate food choices for pre-event and post-event meals.
8. Discuss the diagnostic criteria, physical symptoms, and medical complications of eating disorders.
9. Discuss safety concerns and health risks associated with the use of performance enhancing supplements in children and adolescents.
10. Discuss the limitations of body composition assessment in youth.
11. Name five tips for coaches and parents to consider when working with an overweight child.
12. Describe how guidelines for weight loss and weight gain in children and adolescents differ, depending upon age.
13. Describe factors that impact protein requirements in youth.