An Analysis of High School Athlete Nutrition Information

An Analysis of High School Athlete Nutrition Information
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High school is a critical stage in a teen’s life, especially so for athletes. During this period of rapid physical growth, studies become tougher and sports more challenging. Staying on top of the game require daily practices, weight-training workouts, and participating in one or more competitions a week. All these place a great demand on the body, and inadequate nutrition leads to exhaustion, and inability to concentrate either on studies or on sports.

An analysis of high school athlete nutrition information reveals that a typical high school male requires around 2,400 calories a day, and an average high school female needs around 1700 calories a day. Male high school athletes require an additional 900 calories and female high school athletes require an additional 750 calories to meet their enhanced energy requirements. The lion’s share of this energy comes from carbohydrates and proteins, with the former ideally contributing 75 percent of the energy source and the latter 25 percent.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the primary energy source for any athlete, and more so for growing up high school athletes. Unlike adults, high school athletes do not have glycogen or stored up carbs, and as such need to replenish their energy reserves on a daily or even meal-by-meal basis.

High school athletes would also do well to adhere to the following recommendations:

  • Do not load full-blown carbohydrate. Eat starchy food to increase carbohydrate absorption by the blood.
  • Reduce exercises during the last twenty-four hours before the event, to conserve stored up energy.
  • Eat a carbohydrate-loaded meal two to three hours before the event to boost energy reserves for the event. Consume another carbohydrate meal after the event to aid prompt recovery. Make sure the post-exercise meal contain 0.5 grams of carbohydrates per lb body weight.

The best food sources of carbs for high school athletes are apples, bananas, oranges, tangerines, berries and melons; vegetables such as carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, corn and peas; and grains such as cereals, oatmeal and brown rice.

Proteins

Protein foods provide the high school athlete with not just energy, but also amino acids, the building blocks of the much-needed muscle tissues. Protein foods are also a good source of iron that increases the body’s ability to absorb the consumed nutrients.

The best protein sources are lean meats, chicken, turkey, fish, nuts, beans and tofu, and dairy foods such as low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese and ice cream. Diary foods also provide essential minerals such as Calcium and Vitamin D, indispensable for bone strength

Excessive consumption of protein however may lead to loss of appetite, diarrhea, dehydration and place undue stress on the kidneys.

Fat

High School Sports Nutrition Information

Fat is essential to expand the athlete’s energy reserves. An athlete’s body use stored up fat for low-intensity activities.

Make sure to consume monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, the two types of healthy fats. Foods rich in these healthy fats are salmon and other fish, nuts, avocados, vegetable oils, and a variety of plants. Make sure to avoid the unhealthy trans-fat, found in most restaurant-fried foods.

Hydration

The single most critical component in sports nutrition is remaining hydrated. Body muscles generate heat during exercise, and sweat, composed of water and dissolved minerals such as sodium cools off this heat. Athletes tend to sweat excessively, and failure to replenish the sweated up water and minerals means the body cannot cool itself, resulting in dehydration, which in turn causes fatigue, heatstroke, and even death.

All athletes, especially high school athletes need to drink water without waiting to be thirsty, for thirst is a symptom of dehydration. Drinking too much water quickly however leads to an unpleasant condition.

The optimal quantity of fluid intake varies, but as a rule of thumb, 14–20 ounces (400–600 ml) of fluid is optimal. Add another 8 oz (240 ml) in hot or humid conditions. Cool water will suffice, but during events, sport drinks containing sodium and carbohydrates is a better option for they increase the rate of retention of the fluids by the body. An effective sports drink limits solids such as sugar and electrolytes to less that 8 percent, and eliminates fructose to ensure speedy absorption of the fluid by the athlete’s body.

Disclaimer

This article does not constitute medical or dietary advice. Readers are requested to seek professional advice before acting on the high school sports nutrition information found in this article.

References

  1. Habash, D.L. “Child and adolescent athletes in Sports Nutrition: A Practice Manual for Professionals.” 4th ed. Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutritionists Dietetic Practice Group. Dunford M, ed. American Dietetic Association. 2006:229–252.
  2. Jensen, Christopher, D. PhD, MPH, RD. “Eat to Compete in High School: Sports Nutrition for Teen Athletes.” Retrieved from https://www.powerbar.com/articles/183/Eat_to_Compete_in_High_School_Sports_Nutrition_for_Teen_Athletes.aspx
  3. University of Illinois Extension Sports and Nutrition Page. https://urbanext.illinois.edu/hsnut/hsath3b.html

Image Credit

  1. flickr.com/Joe Crawford
  2. geograph.org.uk/James Bentall