Keep your little slugger safe.

Nutrition for Young Athletes

Proper nutrition is crucial for adolescents, as they experience a growth rate second only to infants.

A typical 10-year-old requires a minimum of 2,000 calories a day, while 15- to 18-year-old boys require 3,000 calories a day. Add sports to the mix and you have one hungry teenager, says Gail Allen, P.N.P., a pediatric nurse practitioner in Chester, Virginia.

To be sure your teenage athlete isn't running on empty before practice or a game, Allen offers these reminders:

• Provide healthy snacks -- not junk food -- to pack in all those extra calories. Remember, 50 to 60 percent of calories should be from carbohydrates, 15 to 25 percent from fat, and the rest from protein.
• Don't forget fluids. Dehydration can limit performance, and thirst is not a reliable indicator of when to drink. An hour or two before exercise, children should drink 12 ounces of cold water, and then another 10 ounces about 15 minutes before the activity. During exercise, teens should drink 3 to 4 ounces every 15 minutes. Afterwards, they should drink 16 ounces of water for every pound of weight loss.
• Don't expect special pregame meals to do much for overall athletic performance. A meal eaten two to three hours before a game won't be the primary energy source needed for immediate exercise.