Nutritional Needs of Growing and Active Kids If you're a parent, you want to see your children succeed, prosper, and remain healthy throughout their lives, right? You're going to sit down with them and help them with their homework, play catch, and teach them the lessons of life so they don't make the same mistakes you did. Of course, you know it's no easy task. Parents have a tremendous burden and responsibility in caring for their children, and mental and physical discipline are huge hallmarks during a child's growing periods. Interestingly, a lot of that discipline takes place at the dinner table, doesn't it? Well then, what better place to teach them some nutritional discipline? Now, I'm sure you're doing a fine job. Okay, a great job. How do I know? Well, after examining hundreds of research studies spanning the last decade, there have been surprisingly few startling revelations concerning children and nutrition. Telling a child to "eat your vegetables" is much the same recommendation that it was fifty years ago, and it's no less important now. But don't pat yourself on the back just yet. A parent's job in rearing children is tougher than ever, and in the area of nutrition it's become astounding. Why? Well, unlike fifty years ago, when dinner was at six o'clock sharp and the whole family ate together, there are considerably more time constraints and outside influences that not only affect the way we live, but how we eat. We've become a society on the run. The kids play sports after school, and if they want to compete with the Jones's kids, after practice they're in the gym getting stronger. This creates new nutritional demands on the body, especially when a hectic and unhealthy eating schedule has become a habit. And then there's the current media obsession with thinness. This has undoubtedly impacted the collective psyche of today's adolescents, especially impressionable young females. Throw in puberty that's occurring at earlier ages than ever, and you've got a monkey on the backs of parents that just got bigger. Welcome to raising children, 21st century style. Eat Right - For Your Life But there is one monumental revelation that research has uncovered, and it makes the importance of proper childhood nutrition an unquestionable necessity. Whereas in the past there was a preoccupation with simply meeting a child's nutritional needs (think four food groups, vitamins, etc.), now there's a major shift towards the importance of how childhood nutrition will impact health outcomes much later in life. That's right. From eating habits themselves to preventing or encouraging disease processes, how your child eats today will have a striking impact on their health throughout adolescence and adulthood. After birth, with the exception of infancy, the human body grows the fastest during childhood and adolescence. For example, in just the early stages of puberty, children may gain up to 20% of their final adult height. This rapid growth makes proper nutrition an obligation, and without it, children may suffer harmful and irreversible effects on their permanent growth and development. Physical activity also takes its toll. As in adults, the more kids exercise and participate in sports, the more calories and nutrients they need. We already know they need a lot of calories for proper growth, but sports place tremendous demands on the respiratory, cardiovascular, muscular, and skeletal systems. This is especially important today, an age where more kids, at younger ages than ever before, are participating in sports. This implies a special responsibility on parents, coaches, and the children themselves to understand the importance of high-quality nutrition. Maximize Growth and Development with Sound Nutrition Before we delve into the nuts and bolts of proper nutrition, we first need to define the ages that encompass both children and adolescents, and then address their unique needs. Specifically, we can consider anyone under the age of ten or eleven as a growing child, and from roughly 10-19 years of age is considered adolescence. Of course, adolescence is marked by puberty and a rapid growth rate, while growth during childhood is much slower. Nevertheless, even childhood presents challenges in obtaining nutritional requirements. On average, children consume 1700-1800 calories per day and do pretty well in meeting their vitamin and mineral needs. Well, except for one mineral - calcium. In fact, it's become a growing concern as children have actually experienced a decline in calcium intake in recent years. More than half of all American children may fail to consume enough calcium, and they may even have higher needs during growth to optimize bone health. A 1994 National Institute of Health conference concluded that children now need 800-1200 mg of calcium daily for proper bone growth and maturation. Preferably, these sources should come from dietary staples such as milk and other dairy products because of their added health benefits. Supplements are generally not recommended. Higher calcium intakes may also protect bones against osteoporosis later in life. A study of older adults in Germany has linked higher reported intakes of milk and milk products during childhood and adolescence with decreased risk of osteoporosis. Other studies have shown that increasing calcium intake in children to levels recommended by the National Institute of Health result in higher bone density, even up to 14 years later! Other than calcium needs, children usually have a good idea of how much food they need to eat to maintain proper growth. But don't throw away those growth charts that your doctor uses. If your child is slipping behind the norm in height and weight for his/her age, an increase in caloric intake may be necessary. The current RDA (recommended daily allowance) for children seven to ten years old is 2000 calories. Although this is a simple recommendation and may vary widely depending on a child's maturational development, also keep in mind that athletics may impose an additional need of 500-1500 calories per day. That's why plotting your child's growth pattern and comparing it to established standards is probably the best way to ensure your child is eating enough (or too much). Overall, children should be encouraged to consume three meals a day plus nutrient-rich snacks. Of course, this is also assuming they are getting a fair amount of physical activity (Playstation doesn't count!). Meeting hydration needs is also critical. While appropriate nutrition ensures proper growth during and throughout development, achieving adequate hydration has immediate effects. Like what, you ask? Like preventing heat stress, heat stroke, and death. See, for anyone exercising, the primary mechanism for releasing heat is through sweating. Well, guess what, kids can't and don't sweat as much as adults, even though their little bodies can overheat faster. This, of course, can be dangerous, and therefore they need lots of water. Sports drinks are not necessary, although the flavor may help in making the kids want to drink more. Just remember that thirst is not a good indicator of hydration needs, and make sure the kids are consuming 4-6 oz. of fluid every 20-30 minutes during exercise. The Enigmatic Adolescent Consumer As for adolescents, well, that's a whole new beast. Teenagers, probably as a result of peer pressure and a desire to be independent (how's that for redundancy?), have very unpredictable dietary habits. Sadly, some view food as the enemy and avoid it, either to stay thin or to compete successfully in sports such as wrestling and gymnastics. Many also skip breakfast, eat a lot of fast-food and junk food, and rely heavily on supplements. Maybe it's to feel more independent, or to demonstrate their freedom with their money and their car in that drive-thru, but it sure doesn't make it right! As an example, one study demonstrated that 92% of a sampling of high school female athletes knew the importance of calcium (and that milk is a primary source), yet only 12% of these individuals met the RDA for calcium. This is an unfortunate circumstance at a critical time in their lives for developing bone mass. Especially knowing that intense exercise in females can lead to amenorrhea and thus a significant decrease in bone density, proper calcium intake is exceedingly important. Exercise-induced amenorrhea, a not uncommon occurrence in females participating in ballet and gymnastics, can lead to a decline in estrogen, a highly beneficial bone hormone. Research has indicated that prolonged amenorrhea (two to three years) can cause irreversible bone loss. To combat this, teenagers need 1200-1500 mg of calcium daily to optimize bone health, and added protein, phosphorus, and vitamin D doesn't hurt. Iron is another crucial mineral for adolescents. Lack of iron limits exercise tolerance, while adequate amounts aid in proper growth and in improving athletic performance. Again, females are at risk for iron deficiency due to blood loss during menses, but males that train intensely can't fall short, either. Adolescents therefore need about 15 mg of iron daily, and females possibly more. Athletes especially should be counseled to eat iron-rich foods such as red meat, iron-fortified cereals, poultry, and green vegetables. The rate of growth in adolescence is astounding, second in the life-span only to infancy. That means teenagers need calories, and lots of them, to ensure proper growth. As alluded to earlier, some teens have no problem - they love to eat everything in sight (which is a problem if they don't exercise). But the bigger concern are those that don't eat enough, especially if they're involved in sports that reward low body weights and tiny figures (i.e., wrestling, gymnastics, dance, ice skating). For 15-18 year-old males and females, the RDA for energy intake is 3000 and 2200 calories per day, respectively. Of course, a lot of activity can boost this amount by 1500-3000 additional calories, and it will also vary according to body size. Of these calories, roughly 55% should come from carbohydrates, 30% from fat, and 15% from protein. As in children, comparing a teen's growth and height/weight to standardized norms is an excellent way to ensure that an adolescent is eating enough. As an added note, teens should also be encouraged to meet their needs through nutrient-rich snacks. And finally, concerning hydration, adolescents should consume 8-12 oz. of fluids every 20-30 minutes during exercise. This is especially important in sports where weight loss is sometimes encouraged (i.e., wrestling, gymnastics, dance). Adolescents need to consume enough fluids to maintain a clear, light yellow, odorless urine. Recommendations for Sport That about hits the highpoints, but to take nutrition to another level for children and adolescents, there are a multitude of ways to use nutrition to improve performance in sporting events. First and foremost, weigh kids on a regular basis to ensure continued growth. If they're not eating enough to grow, they're certainly not getting enough calories to thrive athletically. Also, encourage kids to drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after exercise, and have them consume additional carbohydrates about one hour before exercise or sporting events lasting longer than 90 minutes. As always, encourage kids to eat breakfast and promote healthy snacking; this ensures adequate energy that will last throughout the day. As a very important note, do not restrict foods based on their fat content. Fat is a major source of energy, especially in children and adolescents, and provide most of the fuel for endurance events. Fat is also essential for hormone production, and sources of fat usually contain increased iron, protein, and calcium. Just don't go overboard and stay away from junk foods and sources high in saturated fats (these should make up no more than 10% of total calories). Also, cholesterol should not exceed 300 mg per day. That Wasn't So Bad, Was it? Dealing with children and nutrition is not like going to the dentist. Not quite, but it is an everyday ordeal. Although it's easier to just heat up a microwave dinner or order in, maintaining proper nutrition in children is simply a process, not unlike promoting the right study habits. It's not pulling teeth, but it is work. And with work, you shall be provided with rewards as gratifying as high academic achievement or athletic skill. In the case of sound nutrition, the reward is exceptional health, and, as you now know, it lasts a lifetime. 1 Maughan RJ. Nutrition in Sport. IOC Medical Commission. vol. vii Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine. Blackwell Science (2000). 2 Rogol AD, Clark PA, Roemmich JN. Growth and pubertal development in children and adolescents: Effects of diet and physical activity. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000; 72(suppl): 521S-8S. 3 Nutrition and Exercise in Sport. Third Edition. Cheung L, Richmond J. Child Health, Nutrition, and Physical Activity. ADD FAVORITES BACK | TOP   Other Child Health Articles and Tips: Epidemic of the 21st century - overweight, sick kids! Growing Healthy Bodies - Overcoming Remote-Control Lifestyles A Healthy Future Starts with Smart Eating The Benefits of Exercise and Sports Participation for Kids

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