Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) have been established for various ages, but for the athletic or highly physically active child or adolescent, these recommendations will need to be adjusted for the level of physical activity. In adolescents, in particular, the onset of the growth spurt, which is a major reason for increased energy requirements, is unpredictable and it is very difficult to estimate energy requirements. It is well known, though, that prolonged inadequate energy intake will result in short stature, delayed puberty, poor bone health, increased risk of injuries, and menstrual irregularities or absence in girls.

Behavior
It is important to educate children to eat a “healthy and balanced” diet and to encourage good eating habits. For the aspiring Rush Soccer Player this should also include specific sports nutrition guidance with performance goals in addition to health goals. This can reinforce lifelong eating habits that contribute to the overall well being of children and may enhance sport performance. On the other hand, any bad habits developed in childhood and adolescence may be difficult to eradicate later in an athlete’s sporting career and should therefore be avoided. There is an important role for parents, coach and support staff to encourage appropriate eating behaviors, but also to avoid bad habits, such as too much attention to body shape and body weight
For parents:
• Practice responsive parenting by discriminating hunger from other distress cues and avoiding always using food to comfort your child
• Provide positive, repeated exposure to novel foods (especially typically rejected foods, such as vegetables) to promote acceptance of and preference for those foods
• Offer developmentally appropriate and healthy foods to your child during the transition to solids
• Serve portion sizes that are developmentally appropriate for your child’s age and nutrient needs
• Choose when and what your child should eat, but let your child decide how much to eat
• Trust a child of normal weight status to self-regulate his own intake
• Make a wide variety of nutrient-dense rather than energy-dense, nutrient poor foods available and accessible to your child
• Use your own behaviors and attitudes to model healthy dietary patterns
• Create a positive feeding environment by initiating regular family meals
