Health Tip: Feeding a Child Athlete

(HealthDay News) -- It's especially important that young athletes get enough calories and nutrients to keep up their energy, and maintain a healthy body weight.

The Nemours Foundation recommends feeding your athletic child a diet rich in:

• Vitamins and minerals -- in foods such as spinach, carrots, squash and peppers.
• Proteins -- in foods such as fish, lean red meat and poultry, dairy products, nuts, soy products and peanut butter.
• Carbohydrates -- in foods such as pasta, brown rice, whole-grain bread and cereal.

Meals should include healthy, natural foods, and exclude processed foods. The athletic youngster may need to eat more frequently, and will need to drink plenty of fluids to stay well-hydrated and avoid heat illness.

-- Diana Kohnle

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