Sports Nutrition for Pre-Teens: What to Eat and How to Talk About It

Pre-teen athletes are often overlooked when it comes to sports nutrition, however this group is actually one of the most nutritionally at-risk age-groups for a variety of reasons. For one, this is an incredibly diverse population: some are just starting to explore sports, while others train for hours each day. Regardless of activity level, all pre-teens face increased energy demands due to growth alone. When you add in the demands of athletic training, nutrient needs rise even further to support both performance and healthy development. 

Moreover, puberty brings significant physical and emotional changes. Pre-teens may begin to struggle with body image and social identity, which can increase the risk of disordered eating habits. Notably, research consistently shows that eating disorders are more prevalent in athletes than in non-athletes. As a result, the risk of low energy intake - and subsequently Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) - is high in this group. Therefore, parents, caregivers, coaches, and trainers should understand how to feed pre-teens to support growth and development, as well as how to communicate it in a positive and age-appropriate way.

How Does Puberty Affect Pre-Teen Athletes? 

As noted above, because of the demands of growth that accompany puberty, energy needs are HIGH. Energy needs peak at different time periods for boys and girls. Girls’ energy needs peak before their linear growth spurt, typically causing an increase in fat mass before they grow taller. Boys’ energy needs peak as they grow taller, often associated with a loss of “baby fat.” Because of these bodily, hormonal, and cognitive changes, as well as societal pressures for girls to be thin and boys to be muscular, pre-teens may feel uncomfortable in their bodies, increasing risk for low body confidence, low self-esteem, and ultimately disordered eating habits in an attempt to change their bodies. 

Cognitively, pre-teens are more vulnerable to distorted thinking patterns. “Black-and-white” thinking is common at this age, making it difficult for them to see nutrition and health concepts on a continuum. Adding to this risk is pre-teens’ heightened social-awareness, causing a hyperawareness of what their friends are (or are not) eating, while being unaware of the differences in activity levels, metabolism, and overall energy expenditure that exists among this age group. 

Because of these developmental factors, athletes in this age-group should be educated on proper fueling strategies in an age-appropriate manner. However, studies show that education alone is not enough to prevent disordered eating in adolescent athletes. The most effective prevention occurs when nutrition education is combined with activities that promote positive body image, encourage self-care, and challenge unhelpful beliefs about food and appearance.

So, how do we feed pre-teen athletes, and maybe more importantly, how do we talk about it?

What should pre-teen athletes be eating? 

First and foremost, athletes need to be eating enough. In general, it is recommended athletes go no longer than 3 hours between meals and snacks by incorporating 3 meals and at least 3 snacks per day. Meals should consist of starches, protein, fiber, and fat. The amount of starch and fiber should be adjusted based on the level of activity for the day. As you can see below, on days athletes are training for longer than 1 hour, half of their plate should be starches, and only a quarter of the plate should be fiber. On rest days, this is flipped so that half of the plate is fiber and a quarter is starches. For days when training is less than 1 hour, we meet in the middle; starches decrease to about a third of the plate, and fiber increases to ~40%. Protein and fat should stay roughly the same each day.

As for snacks, they should contain a carbohydrate for energy in addition to a source of protein or fat for sustenance. Now, let's review the different food groups and how they help athletes thrive. 

Starches

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for all bodies, but especially for growing athletes. Pre-teens have a decreased ability to store carbohydrates as glycogen compared to older adolescents and adults, so fueling frequently throughout the day with carbohydrates is vital, as adequate carbohydrate availability protects against muscle breakdown. Furthermore, carbohydrates are the easiest for the body to digest - to ensure athletes are meeting their energy needs - and their intake stimulates a rise in blood sugar and insulin, which is a hormone necessary for growth. In short, they are absolutely essential for the growing athlete! 

Socially and culturally, there is a false narrative that carbohydrates are bad or unhealthy. There are concerns among the general population that eating too much sugar is unhealthy. Even if this is said with the right intentions, for the pre-teen at risk of black-and-white thinking, this overgeneralization may be translated into the belief that all carbohydrates are unhealthy, potentially resulting in complete avoidance, thereby contributing to low energy availability (LEA). When talking to pre-teens, one must come from a place that all foods can fit into a healthy diet to promote balance.

As an adult, it is your job to decide what, when, and where a child eats. It is the child’s job to decide how much and which foods they will eat. When it comes to deciding between offering whole grains or simple sugars, prioritize intake of whole grains by offering them with meals and snacks, while also leaving room for more “fun” foods that may contain simple sugars. Simple sugars can make the perfect option when whole grains are not available, for dessert, or for before activity. For example, this may look like packing a lunch with a PB&J on whole wheat bread (whole grain + fat) with carrot sticks (fiber), a hard-boiled egg (protein), and a pack of potato chips (simple sugar). For a pre-practice snack, offer your pre-teen some gummy worms and an apple sauce and allow them to choose. Let them practice listening to their bodies and experiment how different foods affect performance and health.  

Protein

Protein is another essential for pre-teens. Protein helps rebuild the muscles after exercise, and promotes satiety after meals and snacks. Looking at the performance plate, protein should make up ~25% of the plate for meals. There seems to be an emphasis on protein consumption in the media today; however for pre-teens who cannot really accrue muscle yet, this macronutrient does not need to be emphasized nearly as much as it seems. Protein promotes satiety, so too much protein may actually interfere with the ability to meet energy needs by limiting intake of other macronutrients and inadvertently causing LEA. In general, it is best to promote intake of lean sources of protein, but still leave room for fried or higher-fat cuts of meat to promote a mindset that all foods can fit. 

Fats

Finally, fats are another essential for pre-teens to support hormone production, vitamin absorption, brain development, and maximize energy intake. For pre-teens who struggle to eat enough volume to promote weight gain and performance, fats add energy without increasing the volume of the meal. Most importantly, fats provide flavor, which makes eating to meet athletic goals a more enjoyable experience and less of a daunting chore. Fats should be included at each meal, whether this be through cooking foods in butter or oil, adding dressing to a salad, eating fattier cuts of meat, incorporating dairy products with inherent fat content, or topping meals with nuts and seeds. Aim to include 1-2 tablespoons of fat at each meal. Fats can also be a part of a snack when paired with a source of carbohydrate. For example, a banana with peanut butter is a tasty and satiating snack.

Fiber

Fruits and vegetables are of course another essential to provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber. High intakes of fiber - mainly fruits and vegetables - can precipitate LEA for several reasons: (1) they are low-calorie, (2) they take longer to digest, causing early satiety and potentially limiting intake of other more calorie-dense food groups, and (3) they may cause unpleasant gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation, which may impair appetite. Especially regarding activity, high intakes of fiber, can cause GI distress, ultimately interfering with sport performance and enjoyment. On high-activity days, it is recommended to keep fruits and vegetables to ~25% of the plate and on rest days take the liberty to increase to 40-50% while adjusting the carbohydrate intake accordingly. 

In summary, while it is true that the levels of activity vary widely among pre-teens, pre-teens of all activity levels need A LOT of food to fuel this activity and support healthy growth and development. The performance plate is a helpful tool to help any adult who is involved in fueling this population to provide adequate and balanced nutrition with the right ratios of carbs, protein, fat, and fiber. Now, it is important to remember that this population is highly vulnerable to the language used when discussing food, nutrition, bodies, and performance, so what is the best way to discuss nutrition with your pre-teen athlete?

How to talk about fueling with pre-teens

Now, if your pre-teen eats an overall balanced diet, is growing well, and does not have signs of disordered eating, it may not be necessary to talk to your pre-teen directly about what they are eating. Again, if you are the adult in the relationship, it is your job to decide what, when, and where kids eat, but it is the child’s job to choose how much and whether or not they will eat the food. All that to say, there is no need to hyperfixate on nutrition, but do be mindful of sudden behavior changes, such as avoiding certain foods, skipping meals, hiding foods, eating in secret, seeming anxious at mealtimes, increased irritability or fatigue, among others.

As was alluded to earlier, how we talk about food matters to pre-teens. Kids listen to and value what we say as adults, therefore we should be cognizant of labelling foods to prevent overgeneralizations and guilt around certain foods. Instead of labeling foods as good or bad or healthy or unhealthy, try describing the physical qualities of the food: taste, texture, appearance, temperature, or whether you like or dislike it. Show pre-teens that food is just that, it is not something to fear or control.

Additionally, try to avoid connecting certain foods to body appearance, shape, or athletic performance. Once again, all foods can fit into a healthy diet, and no one food will have a significant impact on appearance or performance when consumed in a balanced way. Instead, you can model a healthy relationship with your own food and body by: (1) demonstrating consumption of balanced meals and snacks with a combination of nutritious and play foods and (2) refraining from commenting about what your body looks like. If your pre-teen is wondering why your plate may look different than theirs, educate them about how a growing and active pre-teen body needs more energy than an adult’s who is less active and no longer growing.

If you find that your pre-teen is making comments about their body size, it may help to shift the narrative to one of body appreciation. Change “my legs are so big” to “my legs are strong enough to run and score a goal for the team.” Shifting the narrative away from how a body looks and into one that appreciates health and ability can boost self-esteem, confidence, and thereby decrease the risk of disordered eating. In short, as the adult in the relationship, it is your job to show pre-teen athletes that all foods are fuel for a growing body, and the healthiest diet is one that includes all foods.

What If I Notice Disordered Eating in My Pre-Teen?

If you do notice changes in your pre-teen’s eating habits, growth patterns, or emotions around food, you should first approach your pre-teen with compassion by expressing concern for their health. Let them know that you care before identifying specific behaviors or attitudes you have observed. Avoid labeling their behaviors as an “eating disorder”, as this may cause them to become defensive. Allow your pre-teen to give their perspective and share how they are feeling. Once they share their experience, refer to professionals: doctors, therapists, and dietitians who specialize in eating disorders. These specialists can make helping your pre-teen recover from an eating disorder seem less daunting by giving you the tools to support your pre-teen athlete. 

Whether you are the parent of a pre-teen, an adult who works with pre-teen athletes, or a pre-teen yourself, the dietitians at SkimWellness want to work with you to equip you with the tools needed to achieve your health, performance, and aesthetics goals. We offer 1:1 nutrition counseling, as well as comprehensive resources and add-on services  to support you in your wellness journey. Book a consultation today through SkimWellness.com!