That's Fit

Last fall, my son played soccer. Week after week I was disappointed in the snacks that parents brought for the kids. Now it's baseball season and I'm seeing the same trend. My son has been given sugary juices, "sports" drinks that are loaded with sugar, cookies, chips, and snack cakes. I'm not completely opposed to kids having treats from time to time. But I think that, after being active, kids need some decent nutrition.

While adult and competitive athletes may need nutritional programs designed specifically to boost performance, kids don't need anything that rigid. All kids need is good nutrition to get the most out of their activities. Here are a few tips:

• Eating a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beneficial fats, and lean protein will give your young athletes all the fuel they need. A daily multi-vitamin is also a good idea. Sports bars, protein gels, and other specialized foods aren't necessary.
• It's important to keep your young athlete hydrated. Young children, in particular, are prone to dehydration because their bodies produce more heat yet sweat less. But water is sufficient for youth sports. Unless the activity is constant and extends beyond one hour, drinks with added electrolytes just aren't necessary. Besides, many sports drinks offer nothing more than artificial coloring, artificial flavors, sodium, and high fructose corn syrup.
• While it's not an issue with boys my son's age, I know high-school and college-age athletes may be tempted by the powders and drinks guaranteed to pump them up. The problem is that dietary supplements (which is what those sports aids are considered) aren't screened by the FDA so their efficacy and safety aren't monitored. While many may be harmless and some might even be effective, there's risk involved.
  

Good nutrition and consistent exercise are all any young athlete needs to stay at the top of their game.

Last fall my son was on a soccer team and he absolutely loved it. It was a short season -- only 10 games. It worked out perfectly as there were 10 kids on the team, so each family was scheduled to bring a snack to one game. Having a last name that starts with 'V' it was no surprise that we were scheduled for the last game, so I didn't have to think about it for a while.

At the first game I was surprised to see my son, elated from his team's first victory, running across the field with a pack of chocolate cookies and a great big sports drink. It may say "sports" on the label but many of those drinks are nothing more than water, artificial coloring, and a great big sticky glob of high fructose corn syrup. I decided just to let it go. It's not going to hurt him to have a treat like that once in a while. The next game was no better -- a chocolate-covered granola bar and another sugary drink. Week after week this was the type of snack the kids were given. I'm not a nutrition snob and I definitely let my son have treats from time to time. But after a sporting event, I think little bodies need some decent nutrition.