Development of a Performance Nutrition Manual for High School Athletes

Adolescence is a time of profound growth and change, which makes adequate nutrition critical for meeting the growth and development needs of the high school athlete (Desbrow, 2021). Furthermore, athletes have higher energy intake needs than non-athletes due to increases in energy expenditure from training, and competition. Currently, many adolescent athletes do not meet their nutrition needs and lack the education and resources needed to properly fuel for their sport. In order to increase nutrition education amongst high school athletes, a sports nutrition manual was developed and will be available for download at no cost on both the Washington State Dairy Council (WSDC) and the Washington State Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) websites. The intent of this manual is to provide high school athletes, parents, and coaches with a free and comprehensive nutritional resource that will improve the dietary knowledge and habits of adolescent athletes and enhance athletic performance. A literature search was conducted using Pubmed, Medline, and the National Institute of Health (NIH) to obtain evidence-based sports nutrition information. Topics covered in the manual include: macronutrient needs (carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins), micronutrient concerns and needs (iron, vitamin D, and calcium), hydration, pre and post exercise fueling, example fueling plates, eating for recovery, ergogenic aids, simple meals to cook at home, navigating the school cafeteria and fast food options, grocery shopping, as well as disordered eating and relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S). Furthermore, future research is warranted to evaluate the efficacy of improving nutrition knowledge in high school athletes. College of Education and Professional Studies Presentation Award Winner