Key Nutritional Considerations for Youth Winter Sports Athletes to Optimize Growth, Maturation and Sporting Development
Despite a wealth of sport nutrition guidelines for adult athletes, there are currently no nutrition guidelines for youth winter sports athletes. Whilst it may be pragmatic to apply nutrition guidelines for adult athletes to youth winter sports athletes, it is inappropriate. Due to a paucity of resea...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2021.599118/full |
| _version_ | 1828965219935715328 |
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| author | Marcus P. Hannon Joelle Leonie Flueck Vincent Gremeaux Vincent Gremeaux Nicolas Place Bengt Kayser Chris Donnelly |
| author_facet | Marcus P. Hannon Joelle Leonie Flueck Vincent Gremeaux Vincent Gremeaux Nicolas Place Bengt Kayser Chris Donnelly |
| author_sort | Marcus P. Hannon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite a wealth of sport nutrition guidelines for adult athletes, there are currently no nutrition guidelines for youth winter sports athletes. Whilst it may be pragmatic to apply nutrition guidelines for adult athletes to youth winter sports athletes, it is inappropriate. Due to a paucity of research on youth athletes, it is impossible to provide evidence-based guidelines for this population, so careful extrapolation from the theoretical and practical considerations that apply to other athletic groups is necessary. Youth winter sport athletes undergo rapid biological growth and maturation which influences their nutritional requirements. A varied and balanced diet that ensures sufficient energy availability for optimal growth and maturation as well as sporting performance is the cornerstone of youth athlete nutrition and should also allow for youth athletes to meet their micronutrient requirements. In some cases, micronutrient status (e.g., vitamin D and iron) should be monitored and optimized if appropriate by a medical professional. Dietary supplement use is prevalent amongst youth athletes, however is often unnecessary. Education of youth athletes, their parents and coaches on best nutritional practices as well as the risks associated with dietary supplements is vital for their long-term athletic development. Further research in youth winter sports athletes across different stages of growth and maturation competing in a variety of sports is urgently required in order to inform nutritional guidelines for this population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T11:05:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-45610718a16c4a3e9bf580f4bc3cd5f1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-9367 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T11:05:51Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
| spelling | doaj.art-45610718a16c4a3e9bf580f4bc3cd5f12022-12-21T23:04:32ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sports and Active Living2624-93672021-01-01310.3389/fspor.2021.599118599118Key Nutritional Considerations for Youth Winter Sports Athletes to Optimize Growth, Maturation and Sporting DevelopmentMarcus P. Hannon0Joelle Leonie Flueck1Vincent Gremeaux2Vincent Gremeaux3Nicolas Place4Bengt Kayser5Chris Donnelly6Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences (RISES), Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United KingdomSwiss Paraplegic Centre, Institute of Sports Medicine, Nottwil, SwitzerlandSwiss Olympic Medical Center, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, SwitzerlandInstitute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandInstitute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandInstitute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandInstitute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandDespite a wealth of sport nutrition guidelines for adult athletes, there are currently no nutrition guidelines for youth winter sports athletes. Whilst it may be pragmatic to apply nutrition guidelines for adult athletes to youth winter sports athletes, it is inappropriate. Due to a paucity of research on youth athletes, it is impossible to provide evidence-based guidelines for this population, so careful extrapolation from the theoretical and practical considerations that apply to other athletic groups is necessary. Youth winter sport athletes undergo rapid biological growth and maturation which influences their nutritional requirements. A varied and balanced diet that ensures sufficient energy availability for optimal growth and maturation as well as sporting performance is the cornerstone of youth athlete nutrition and should also allow for youth athletes to meet their micronutrient requirements. In some cases, micronutrient status (e.g., vitamin D and iron) should be monitored and optimized if appropriate by a medical professional. Dietary supplement use is prevalent amongst youth athletes, however is often unnecessary. Education of youth athletes, their parents and coaches on best nutritional practices as well as the risks associated with dietary supplements is vital for their long-term athletic development. Further research in youth winter sports athletes across different stages of growth and maturation competing in a variety of sports is urgently required in order to inform nutritional guidelines for this population.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2021.599118/fullWinter Youth Olympic Gamesenergymacronutrientsmicronutrientsironcalcium |
| spellingShingle | Marcus P. Hannon Joelle Leonie Flueck Vincent Gremeaux Vincent Gremeaux Nicolas Place Bengt Kayser Chris Donnelly Key Nutritional Considerations for Youth Winter Sports Athletes to Optimize Growth, Maturation and Sporting Development Frontiers in Sports and Active Living Winter Youth Olympic Games energy macronutrients micronutrients iron calcium |
| title | Key Nutritional Considerations for Youth Winter Sports Athletes to Optimize Growth, Maturation and Sporting Development |
| title_full | Key Nutritional Considerations for Youth Winter Sports Athletes to Optimize Growth, Maturation and Sporting Development |
| title_fullStr | Key Nutritional Considerations for Youth Winter Sports Athletes to Optimize Growth, Maturation and Sporting Development |
| title_full_unstemmed | Key Nutritional Considerations for Youth Winter Sports Athletes to Optimize Growth, Maturation and Sporting Development |
| title_short | Key Nutritional Considerations for Youth Winter Sports Athletes to Optimize Growth, Maturation and Sporting Development |
| title_sort | key nutritional considerations for youth winter sports athletes to optimize growth maturation and sporting development |
| topic | Winter Youth Olympic Games energy macronutrients micronutrients iron calcium |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2021.599118/full |
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