Why junior athletes are not small adults when it comes to body composition

I am fortunate to work with many talented young athletes and teams where performance is a strong focus.  I enjoy seeing young athletes learn, progress and improve – but I am also acutely aware of the potential negative aspects of a high performance environment for growing and developing kids and adolescents.  I watched one of the ‘The Mighty Ducks’ movies over the weekend with my family and it was a great reminder of what junior team sport is all about – teamwork, friendship and fun (as well as hard work!).  Those who have an influence on juniors can play a role in either helping or hindering development and performance, and the importance of enjoyment should be given due attention, even (or especially) within an increasingly competitive environment. 

Many junior athletes experience significant, and sometimes unbearable, pressure to perform.  Pressure can come from various sources, both internal and external, with a focus on performing at their best, beyond basic genetic ability.  This is where body composition (both muscularity and/or leanness) can become a focus, and for some this experience is far from fun.

Discussions around body composition – how much body fat or muscle an athlete has – and its impact on performance are an accepted part of professional senior sport.  Fortunately, sports dietitians are no longer known ONLY as the ‘fat police’ in teams, but a reasonable portion of a team dietitians’ work continues to involve measuring, monitoring and setting goals with athletes around weight and body composition.  Thank goodness the days are (mostly) long behind us where player weight and skinfolds are posted up on the wall alongside the 3km time trial results, in full view of all passers by.  Naturally, in a competitive sporting environment, the first thing people want to know is who came first….or last.  The impact of a certain body composition result on a player’s performance, however, is only one factor contributing to performance.  Being the leanest person in a team does not necessarily translate to being the best player.  This is particularly true for junior athletes – in fact we might question the degree of significance of body composition for sports performance at a junior level.

Kids and adolescents are not just small adults and need to be acknowledged and treated as such.

The problem

Awareness at the elite level has improved over the years with regard to individualisation of body composition goals and recognition that it is one of a number of factors that contribute to performance.  However this understanding has not necessarily translated to junior ranks (although many clubs and sporting organisations are doing a great job in this area).  Whether due to increased competitiveness in sport, impact of social media, or other factors, when you also add in COVID restrictions of late, these can all have a significant impact on those individuals who are susceptible to having concerns around body composition and body image.  Both boys and girls can be affected, but of late the stereotypical client that I see with body composition/body image concerns are 15 year old females.  Observation only, but for me it bring backs memories of myself at that age (as pictured in my local rep netball team) and dealing with my own stuff when it came to pressure to improve my performance, look a certain way and feel good about myself.

Why is it a problem?

Many factors can contribute to body composition and body image issues.  Some are inherent to an individual, but we cannot ignore external factors such as social media and pressure from peers, parents, coaches or others with influence. 

‘Comparison is the thief of joy’- I can’t remember where I read or heard this quote, but it always sticks in my mind when I think about teenagers these days who do a lot of sport.  Comparison to images on social media and comparison to their sporting idols, as well as their team mates and opponents. 

Realistic goals

I meet many adolescent males who want to be built like an elite AFL or NBL/NBA player  - NOW!  I guarantee that the majority of adult elite athletes did not have the same amount of muscle mass or level of leanness when they were 16 that they do when they are 25 years old, and we need to remind young athletes of this.  Bodies are designed to grow and develop throughout adolescence and teenagers develop at different rates.  The only person you should be comparing yourself to is you.  Easier said than done, but the goal is to get the best out of your own performance.  Sometimes the anxiety associated with striving to achieve a body composition that is unrealistic at a particular age/stage can have a significantly negative impact on performance, which increases the risk of young talented athletes dropping out of sport due to disordered eating or mental health issues.

There is huge variability between individuals with regard to body dimensions, weight, body composition and health.  These characteristics are largely determined by genetics, however environmental factors do play a role, with nutrition and training making an important contribution to our health, well-being and body composition.  A wide range of bodies can also be elite competitors – it’s important to remember that.

Too much focus on body composition

For many sports, you can’t get away from the fact that body size and composition has an impact on performance. For some sports, a bigger body size may be advantageous for performance – for example in basketball.  As young athletes progress to higher levels and competition gets tougher, there may be a greater need to consider body composition, however great care should be taken with regard to sensitive messaging around body composition for junior athletes. 

Junior athletes need to progress according to their stage of growth.  Young male athletes are often desperate to gain muscle mass, and although they feel like it is super important right now, there is really no rush.  A smaller junior athlete may rely on their speed and agility as their performance strengths – just because team mates that may be at a more advanced stage of growth and have more muscle, this may not be the best goal for them. Goals should be tailored to individual needs and support existing strengths and genetic potential, and it can be beneficial to seek professional opinion and support, particularly when there are specific needs and sensitivities.

Nutrition for junior athletes

Nutrition strategies for junior athletes should focus on adequate fuelling, recovery, hydration and sport-specific needs as priorities.  When an overall healthy eating strategy is adopted, with consideration of sports nutrition principles applied to training and competition (and individual growth stage and hunger!), body composition will often work itself out.  For those junior athletes who may need some extra support, an accredited sports dietitian can assist junior athletes and their families to make nutrition choices to support their training, competition and day-to-day needs while also considering their growth, health and well-being.

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Chicken and Avocado Salad

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

An easy salad rich in protein, healthy fats, probiotics and green goodness. This recipe is low in carbohydrate, but could be adapted for training needs by adding some cooked quinoa or brown rice. Leftover salad also makes a tasty lunch option or sandwich/wrap filling.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 continental cucumber, thinly sliced

2 stick of celery, finely chopped

200g mixed lettuce leaves

1 roast chicken, skin removed OR 800g lean chicken breast,grilled/BBQ’ed

3 tbsp mayonnaise

3 tbsp Greek yoghurt

2 spring onions, finely sliced

Pepper

Method

Combine cucumber, celery, 1 of the spring onions and lettuce leaves in a large bowl. Remove chicken from the bones and chop roughly, or slice pre-cooked chicken breast.  Mix through salad.  Combine mayonnaise and yoghurt, mix well and dollop on top of salad.  Sprinkle with remaining chopped spring onion.

Fresh Tip

For a portable lunch on the go, use leftover salad as a delicious filling for a wholegrain sandwich, roll or wrap. Line the bread with lettuce leaves that have been washed and dried to create a barrier between the filling and bread to avoid a soggy lunch.

Recipe from Super Food for Performance in Work, Sport and Life

Marketing 101 for nutrition and exercise professionals - bikini shots guarantee 'likes' and sales

I searched and searched for a picture to go with this post, and I came across this one that I think sums up the topic perfectly.  A fictitious character with a physique unattainable for most, tanned and toned, bouncy hair and made-up face, wearing clothing which couldn't possibly be comfortable for whatever activity she is attempting.  The rise of the celebrity/model/attractive person becoming the next nutrition and fitness guru is getting under the skin of many, who are vocal with their concerns. 

I am certainly not the first person to write about this topic.  Not that I am particularly bothered by the endless pictures of young gorgeous creatures parading around in the tiniest of bikinis and active wear, promoting all manner of things health, nutrition and fitness.  It doesn’t seem to bother their millions of followers either. Funnily enough, there is a huge market for this form of health-promotion/self-promotion and these entrepreneurs are tapping in.  Is it just harmless (and clever) entertainment or is there a more serious side to the creation of these glossy images that so many people seek for fitspiration?.

No question, some people in this world, whether natural or cosmetically enhanced, are absolutely beautiful to look at.  The problem is that just because something is attractive to the eye, it doesn’t automatically equate to knowledge and expertise in all things beauty, health, fitness and wellness.  Of course, you can have perfect bone structure and be intelligent at the same time, but there are plenty of people out there using their appearance to their advantage (and to be honest why wouldn't you?).  But using an attribute to your advantage in a genuine way is very different to misleading people to believe that you are something that you are not. 

A beautiful AND intelligent colleague, Sarah Nehme, a first class strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer recently posted on Facebook ‘So over these fake-boobed, naked girls on Instagram calling themselves "fitness professionals" or "master trainers". If you need to get naked to sell it then you don't know much about it.’

Sarah’s post got a great response and created a lot of interesting discussion.  My immediate response was to agree with Sarah, although it has also got me thinking about the concept from different perspectives.

From a sports nutrition angle, you don’t see too many Accredited Sports Dietitians (personally I coundn’t name one) who work with professional sporting teams parading themselves on social media in their short shorts and crop tops.  Not that there is anything wrong with that- we can all wear whatever we like, but in the world of professional sports medicine and high performance sport, flaunting your body is not really the done thing (for the staff anyway!).  In fact I would say most sports dietitians almost go the opposite way and cover up a bit more at work compared to what they may do in other environments.  But is this necessary?  Do females working in predominantly male environments, which many professional sporting teams present, need a more conservative dress code?  This is perhaps another point of debate in itself, professional conduct and what is appropriate or not…..

When we move from the workplace to the social media domain we are looking at a totally different scenario.  Competition is fierce, direct and consistent.  Amongst the millions of nutritionist and personal trainers some individuals feel they need to show off their assets to stand out in the crowd.  I must have missed the marketing classes in my nutrition and personal training studies that recommended you should prove that you have knowledge and applied skills by stripping down to your smalls to show your worth.  But as a marketing strategy it works a treat.  Many self-described ‘nutrition gurus’ are very savvy business people who know what creates attention and do a great job promoting their wares.  You know what, good on them I say.  If they really do have a useful product or service that is sound then well done on your marketing skills and success. 

If you work hard to train and eat well then why not show off your result?.  Just don't promise to those who lack your amazing genetic make-up that they can look like you by doing what you do.  Don’t claim to be something that you are not, while giving out incorrect and potentially dangerous information that in the long-run can have a negative impact on a person’s health and psychological well-being (long after they have generously donated to your bank account).  It might be worth considering your own longer-term health too, both physical and psychological.  Receiving positive feedback from strangers about your appearance must feel great at the time, but how long will it last.  What about negative feedback?  If your messages are not authentic or accurate then negativity will eventually come your way.

In the end, these bikini-clad babes are holding the dreams of many of us in the palms of their fake-tan stained hands.  Most of us want to try to look and be our best.  Perhaps these online role-models are providing us with hope – who am I to ruin the dreams of thousands and bring reality crashing down to earth with my claims that the majority of these starlets don’t know what they are talking about.  'Surely if I eat like Miss M I will start to look like her?'  You know, I think most people aren’t naiive enough to think that. Maybe it’s the fantasy of it all that is compelling.   Perhaps that’s what it’s all about, the unattainable reality but with the glimmer of belief that we could look or be a little bit more like these new-age role-models of health and fitness?   Who am I to destroy anyone’s dreams and motivations.  Or should more of us be standing up and speaking up against those who take advantage of people’s vulnerability as they yell ‘so long suckers’ and ride into the valley on a white horse with their blond hair flowing and bags of cash in tow??

Or maybe the bikini babes have it spot on.  Perhaps exactly what I need is a good boob job, a fake tan, exceptional lighting and angles, filters and strategic photoshopping.  This seems to be what people are interested in these days.  Forget the science and evidence-based strategies, let’s just go for the latest active wear and and inspiring pose to get people out of their chairs and making salads.  One thing’s for sure, I would definitely have a lot more followers and be a lot richer!  Or I may just stick to my everyday clothes and continue my current day job……I'll keep you posted!

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BMI for athletes - is it relevant?

When it comes to assessing body composition for athletes and active people, there are plenty of options.  Some methods are more useful than others, and often a combination of measurement tools provide the best insight into body composition change.   I often have clients who have concerns about their Body Mass Index (BMI) and believe, or have been told, that they are overweight when in fact their fitness and health can be anything from reasonable to exceptional.  My answer to these clients is always the same, and I recently wrote a post about this for the Premax website BMI for the fit and healthy.  Click on the link to read more.