In our previous blog we explored an insight into the performance analysis provision within our rugby programme at Millfield. We shared our video and analytical processes around pupil review meetings, training session and match analysis as well as statistics and reports. Taken globally we suggested simple insights provide the best opportunity for profound conclusions and positive impacts on our rugby pupil’s development. In this blog we will explore the importance of developing knowledge around nutrition and appropriate fuelling in the developing young athlete, with the key consideration of the energy demands of not only sport, but also academics, emotional and social load. We believe knowledge isn’t powerful until it is applied, therefore we value the application of knowledge and are focused on supporting that journey in nutrition.
Evidenced-based nutritional practices are integral to support a young athlete’s training and performance. For senior performers, the balance between their energy intake and demands of training, recovery and performance is key. However, energy requirements in young people is multifaceted, with elevated energy needs to optimise growth and maturation. Equally high nutrient needs are prevalent to ensure all bodily systems develop at their optimal rate moving through maturation. In addition, the energy demands associated with training, multi-sport participation and free-play in a school environment create a unique yet complex nutritional profile for the developing young athlete. Thus, the primary nutrition focus for young people in sport and their support personnel should be to ensure energy requirements are met, followed by a consideration of the sporting energy requirements.
In practice, understanding the importance of personalised nutrition to accommodate individual athletes’ needs is paramount. Thus, consideration of current health, nutrient needs, development goals, training strategies and other practical challenges need to be considered, all of which influence a young person’s nutritional behaviours. Every sports person and pupil’s day-to-day energy demands vary; therefore, their energy intake should be dynamic to match these. It then also becomes questionable to the appropriateness of translating nutritional guidelines for adult across to young people in sport. When you consider the multiple physiological and metabolic differences between adolescent and adult athletes, you soon realise it is not.
Is lunch a time to fuel or train?
From informal conversations, consultations and survey feedback it has become apparent that time and convenience are the key determinants driving the nutritional behaviours for many pupil’s and in particular, young people in sport. With lunch offering another opportunity to train, it can be perceived as easier to skip a main meal and choose a convenience option or worse, nothing at all. This can lead to the formation of unhealthy habits and routines becoming regular occurrences if left unattended. This reiterates the need to educate young athletes and young people on the importance of understanding “food for purpose”, and the practical side of “what does this actually look like?”, to empower them with knowledge to make informed nutritional choices to meet their development and sporting needs. Support personnel have a big role to play in creating a positive environment around nutrition practices and driving key messages around fuelling.
“I read it online, so it must be right”
For teenagers, media and advertising from the nutrition industry can influence their dietary choices and provides a common source of education, which is often ill-informed, outdated and poorly sourced. Adopting poor nutritional practices during teenage years can have a long-term impact, building negative perceptions of foods and potentially reliance on nutritional supplements. Chronically, this could lead to nutrient and relative energy deficiencies and associated injuries/ illnesses. This reiterates the need of providing evidence informed nutrition support to ensure pupils become knowledgeable and competent in making suitable independent dietary choices.
Clear consistent message to support competent behaviours
Moving forward, the key nutrition objective within our programme is to provide engaging, impactful nutrition support to all students by creating clear, consistent nutrition messages from the dining hall, to the sports field, emphasising the importance of a well-balanced, dynamic and varied diet tailored to their individual Millfield journey. We believe knowledge isn’t powerful until it is applied, therefore our focus is on the application of knowledge and are supporting that journey in nutrition.
Millfield Institute of Sport and Wellbeing 