Nicki de Villiers
Registered Dietitian
[email protected]
Sports Nutrition Working Group
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FEEDING ACTIVE KIDS
It is important for active kids to develop a healthy relationship with food and recognize the value of healthy eating in exercise
performance. The goals for nutrition for active kids are as follow:
• Optimising growth and development
• Inclusion of adequate iron and calcium in the daily diet
• Inclusion of adequate carbohydrate, protein and suitable fat in the diet
• Providing quick, healthy, low fat meals and snacks to maintain energy levels
• Ensuring sufficient liquid intake
• Awareness of possible weight and body image issues
OPTIMISING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
To optimise growth and development, the emphasis is placed on daily food intake and not attending to healthy eating through
only competition periods. Well nourished kids will benefit through better performance, quicker recovery after training and
competition. A low energy intake may result in tiredness, irritability and lethargy. This may lead to a decreased interest and
enjoyment of the sport. Kids should eat according to appetite with emphasis on a variety of food. Appetite may vary with
activity, level of tiredness and periods of growth. To support kids, the whole family may need to get organised to support
healthy eating behaviour.
INCLUSION OF ADEQUATE IRON AND CALCIUM IN THE DAILY DIET
Iron is responsible for carrying oxygen around the body and is crucial for maximising energy levels. Low iron levels can cause
tiredness and will affect performance.
BEST SOURCES OF IRON:
Lean red meat, liver and kidney
• Try to include a small amount of lean red meat at least 3 to 4 times per week
OTHER SOURCES OF IRON:
Green leafy vegetables, legumes (lentils and baked beans), eggs and breakfast cereals
Try to include a vitamin C source with these sources, e.g.
• A glass of orange juice with toast and baked beans
• Cut fresh paw-paw into a bowl of cereal
Calcium is important for healthy growth and development of bones and it supports muscle contraction. A lack of calcium can
lead to poor bone development during the younger years, leading to a increased risk for fractures later in life.
SERVINGS OF CALCIUM:
1 cup of milk, 1 tub of yoghurt, 2 slices cheese or 1 cup calcium enriched soy beverage
• Consume at least 2 to 3 servings of dairy foods or calcium enriched soy alternatives per day
OTHER GOOD SOUCES OF CALCIUM:
Tinned fish with edible bones, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds
1|P age
INCLUSION OF ADEQUATE CARBOHYDRATE, PROTEIN AND SUITABLE FAT IN THE DIET
CARBOHYDRATES keep blood sugar levels constant, contribute to concentration during the day and help to keep kids alert at
school.
SOURCES OF CARBOHYDRATES – ENERGY FOODS
Cereals: Breakfast cereals, oats, bread and bread rolls, wraps, crackers, rice, pasta, pap
Dairy foods: Plain and flavoured milks, yoghurt, milk desserts, enriched soy beverages
Fruit: Fresh, canned or dried fruits, fruit bars, fruit juices
Vegetables and legumes: Potato, sweet potato, corn, peas, beetroot, pumpkin, baked beans, lentils, chick peas, bean mixes
Extras – sweet snacks: Cereal / Muesli bars, muffins, cakes, banana loaf, pancakes, waffles, jelly sweets, jelly, sports drinks,
cordial
Create frequent opportunities to eat throughout the day and
Include at least one carbohydrate source each meal or snack opportunity
With morning training sessions – Try to eat something “on the run” if there is not enough time for a sit down breakfast.
ON THE RUN BREAKFAST CHOICES
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Bokomo up and go
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Mix pronutro with a lot of milk in a mug and use it as a drink
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Drinking yoghurt, flavoured milk or a box of milo
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Prepare a smoothie the night before – Blend fresh fruit, e.g. banana, yoghurt, milk and a tablespoon of honey together
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Bake whole wheat pancakes and keep in fridge; use cut banana with a tablespoon of honey as a filling
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Prepare snackwiches the night before and grab one on the way
With training sessions directly after school:
LUNCHBOX IDEAS
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Pack two lunch boxes; one for during break time and the other for a snack prior to training
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An extra cereal or energy bar with fruit juice
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Crackers with cheese wedges and cordial
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Packet of pop corn or pretzels with a few biltong sticks and cordial
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Bread roll with peanut butter and a fruit
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Jaffles with low fat mince
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Chicken wraps
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Homemade burgers
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Blend ripened, leftover fruits with 100% fruit juice and freeze as ice lollies
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Trail mix – blend of unsalted nuts, seeds and dried fruits
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Melba toast with dips, e.g. avocado or low fat cottage cheese
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Corn on the cob
Protein is found in both plant and animal foods and is necessary to provide building blocks for growth. It helps to repair wear
and tear on the body and keep the immune system healthy. Although active children might need slightly more protein than their
friends that are not active, it is easy to eat enough by having some meat and dairy foods daily.
SOURCES OF PROTEIN – GROW FOODS
Meat, seafood and eggs: Beef, lamb, pork, chicken, fish (fresh, tinned or frozen), eggs
Dairy and soy foods: Plain and flavoured milks, yoghurt, cheese, milk desserts, enriched soy beverages
Legumes, nuts and seeds: Baked beans, nuts such as almonds, cashews, peanuts and peanut butter, seeds like pumpkin and
sunflower
2|P age
Fat is important for normal growth and development and children should include 3 to 4 teaspoons of fat in their daily food
intake. Healthier fat choices include fish, nuts, seeds and avocados.
PROVIDE QUICK, HEALTHY, LOW FAT MEALS AND SNACKS TO MAINTAIN ENERGY LEVELS
Snacks contribute significantly to a child’s daily food intake, especially if life becomes busy or if there is a lot of excitement.
Including carbohydrate sources as snacks will support better recovery in between activity sessions. These snacks can be solid
foods or drinks.
SNACK IDEAS
• Smoothies
• Flavoured Milk
• Drinking yoghurt
• Cordials or sports drinks
• Fruit juice
• Cereal or energy bar
• Pop corn
• Fresh fruit
• Peanuts and raisins
• Dried fruit or fruit bars
• Muffins or crumpets
• Vegetable pieces with low fat cottage cheese dip
• Banana loaf or date loaf
• Pretzels or crackers
Treat foods can be included occasionally, but make sure to explain to your kid that treats or sweets on a daily basis will influence
training performance. A great time to offer the occasional sweet treat would be after training sessions, e.g. sports drinks,
cordials, jelly and jelly sweets. Eating large amounts of concentrated sweet foods before activity could lead to an upset stomach,
increase the risk of getting a “stitch” and a disappointing training session or performance.
ENSURING SUFFICIENT LIQUID INTAKE
It is important to support a habit of regular fluid intake in kids. The risk for heat stress and dehydration is increased in active
children, especially during the summer months. Remind children to keep up fluid intake by drinking “mouthfuls often” before
and during training and immediately after each activity period as well as during the day at school or home. Water is the
preferred drink, but flavoured sports drinks containing small amounts of sugar and electrolytes may encourage kids to drink
during training sessions. Encourage kids to look for shade between activity periods.
AWARENESS OF POSSIBLE WEIGHT AND BODY IMAGE ISSUES
Junior athletes (and their parents or coaches) may become concerned about their body weight due to changes related to growth
phases. Children grow in “spurts” – usually going out first, followed by an upward growth phase. Coaches and parents need to
be aware of children’s sensitivity to weight related comments and always encourage healthy food choices without severe
restriction of quantity. Restrictive eating can lead to nutritional deficiencies, poor growth and long term problems with
disordered eating habits. Encourage children’s involvement in food purchasing and preparation of healthy meals and snacks.
This helps to develop a healthy relationship between the athlete, their food and their bodies.
Tips for overweight children
• Avoid strict dieting or rapid weight loss
• Encourage more physical activity
• Choose low fat foods for meals and snacks
• Avoid the use of fatty take away and convenience foods
• Replace high sugar snacks and drinks with water and more nutritious choices like fruit
• Beware of “boredom eating”
3|P age
Tips for children wanting to gain weight
• Eat larger quantities of nutritious foods
• Include healthy snacks like nuts and dried fruit
• Enjoy more nourishing drinks, e.g. flavoured milk or drinking yoghurt
COMPETITION DAY
The night before
Ensure sufficient carbohydrate intake and appropriate fluid intake. Keep food simple and include carbohydrates, some protein
foods and plenty of nourishing drinks.
IDEAS FOR FAMILY MEALS THE NIGHT BEFORE
• Low fat lasagne with bread rolls and fresh fruit salad
• Pasta with a low fat sauce and cordial
• Shepherd’s pie with jelly and custard for dessert
• Homemade hamburgers with oven baked chips and flavoured milk
• Homemade pizza with thick crust and low fat mozzarella cheese topping
• Pineapple chicken stir fry in pita bread with fresh juice
• Pancakes with chicken and white sauce filling
The day of competition
Breakfast is always an important meal! Eat breakfast at least two hours before the activity period. If the child is hungry later on,
include a small low fat snack up to one hour prior to activity. Experiment with food to ensure minimal gastro-intestinal
discomfort.
BREAKFAST IDEAS
• Cereal with milk, fruit and yoghurt and a glass of juice
• Toast with peanut butter or low fat cheese and tomato with a glass of milk
• Toast fingers with boiled eggs
• Tinned spaghetti on toast with flavoured milk
• Banana and peanut butter on toast with a glass of milk
• Scrambled eggs with creamed corn on toast and a glass of juice
• Crumpets with honey and a tub of yoghurt with a glass of juice
COPING WITH MULTI-EVENT DAYS
No time between events:
• A sports drink only
Limited time – less than 1 hour between events:
• Take fluids –
• meal
• Avoid soft drinks with bubbles
• sports drink and water are important to include for hydration and an energy top up
• Very small amount of a low fat snack food may be included if hungry – Fruit )fresh, canned or dried) or a fruit bar,
crackers or a small amount of jelly sweets
Plenty of time – 1-2 hours between events:
• Include fluids – water, sports drink, fruit juice, smoothie, liquid Choose snacks as for when there is limited time but add
grain/fruit type bars, sandwich, rice or pasta salad
Longer than 2 hours between events:
• Include a more substantial snack or a light meal
• Between heats and finals is a good time to include a light snack with plenty of nourishing fluids
4|P age
If you have to travel long distances or need to make an early start before a carnival, pack some breakfast-on-the-run foods,
including flavoured milk drinks, cereal bars, bread rolls with spread, juice, fruit bars, canned or fresh fruit or slices of banana or
date loaf
At the venue:
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Be flexible with food choices and consider the timing of events.
Organize suitable foods to take with
Do not rely on the canteen food or food from vending machines to supply suitable snacks and drinks
Do not forget a good supply of sunscreen, hats, caps and shade protection
Always pack two drink bottles per child – one for water and the other with sports drink
Take a top up supply of cooled water, juice and flavoured fluids
Encourage a little solid food with fluids, if time permits, between events
Encourage fluid intake between the warm up and the activity period – about half to one cup of water or sports drink
Encourage fluid intake during breaks
Aim to get kids drinking at least a couple of “good mouthfuls” from the drink bottle immediately after the activity period
After the last event, encourage kids to drink at least 500 ml of fluid
COOLER BAG SNACKS FOR LONG DAYS IN THE FIELD
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Flavoured milk
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Liquid meal replacement, e.g. Ensure or Nutren Active
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Bokomo Up ‘n Go
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Sports drinks or cordial
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Jelly sweets
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Water
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Jam or honey sandwiches
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Fruit juice
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Fresh fruits
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Raisins
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Bread roll with banana
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Cereal bars
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Banana or date loaf or muffins
After the event:
Recovery after each training or competition session is essential to maintain performance, especially if the competition stretches
over several days.
Recovery snacks and fluids should be:
• Started within 30 minutes of finishing exercise
• High in carbohydrate with a little protein
• Quick and easy to prepare and eat
• Available at the venue if it takes a long time to get home
FLUID INTAKE TIPS
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Children should always have their own water bottle handy during activity to sip from during training.
Keep fluid cool – Freeze some bottles if activity is late in the day
Offer a mix of water and flavoured drinks such as sports drink or cordial
Be prepared to compensate for extra losses if your child is overheating on warm days
A quick guide of hydration is the colour of urine – if the urine is a darker colour than usual, extra drinks should be taken
Encourage children to drink small amounts regularly rather than wait until they are thirsty and then drink too much at once
Avoid carbonated drinks before, during and immediately after exercise
It is not suitable for active children to be using high caffeine drinks before, during or after sport
Monitor drinks hygiene – each kid needs to use their own water bottle
5|P age
• Encourage young athletes to drink flavoured fluids through a straw to limit the amount of contact between the sports drink
and teeth, helping reduce the risk of dental decay
• Know the warning signs for dehydration and take a time out and consume water if they are present:
o Dizziness and light-headedness
o Muscle cramps
o Nausea and headache
o Dark urine and infrequent urination
o Dry mouth and throat
o Feeling of extreme heat which remains after a cool down time
Compiled by Nicki de Villiers,
Registered Dietitian
May 2011
[email protected]
On behalf of the ADSA-Sports Nutrition Working Group
Sports Nutrition Working Group
ADSA-SNWG Committee: Dr. Amanda Claassen (Chair), Kathy Krog, Dr.LizeHavemann-Nel, Nicki de Villiers.
6|P age