All serious athletes want to be more competitive in their chosen sports, and for many, that includes controlling their body weight. That can be a healthy thing, up to a point. Too often, however, young female athletes try to shed too many pounds and fall victim to a trio of health disorders commonly known as the female athlete triad.
The three parts of the female athlete triad are disordered eating, osteoporosis and amenorrhea, or cessation of menstruation.
The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine provides a Sports Medicine Tip Sheet on different topics.
This edition, "Sports Nutrition Essentials for the Female Athlete," gives helpful information on what foods to eat, hydration and building muscle. The newsletter format makes it an easy-access tool for parents, coaches, and athletes themselves.
Access the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Tip Sheet here.
Nutrition is obviously important for every young athlete. Unfortunately, the proliferation of energy drinks and supplements, coupled with pressure to obtain optimal body weight, can make it difficult for athletes to stick to a healthy diet. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has a position statement on nutrition and athletic performance which cuts through the clutter.
Click here to read this important statement (Note: Scroll down the page a bit once you land on the ACSM home page).
Energy drinks are all too popular with young athletes. This story should make everyone involved in youth sports think twice about using these high-caffeine products.
This article from the New York Times describes several recent studies indicating that youth are gaining massive amounts of weight to play football. These young athletes are raising their risk of being morbidly obese as teens and as adults in pursuit of high achievement on the field. Given what we know about how obesity can wreak havoc on the health of adolescents and adults, it is time to come to grips with this growing problem (no pun intended).
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness
This detailed article by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness describes common habits leading to unhealthy weight, and provides suggestions for healthy alternatives for weight control in young athletes. Some of the topics discussed are: dehydration, binging/purging behavior, and weight and body-composition measurement.
Click here to view full article at the American Academy of Pediatrics website.