Many families already know the importance of eating a healthy, balanced diet. But if your child or teen is an athlete performing at a high level on a regular basis, you may have additional concerns about their nutrition and dietary needs. Noel Williams, registered dietitian and board certified specialist in sports dietetics at the Children’s Health℠ Andrews Institute Sports Performance powered by EXOS answers some of the most frequently asked questions about what young athletes should eat to power their performance.

Is there a diet you recommend for young athletes?

“There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ plan when it comes to nutrition,” explains Williams. “Individual nutrient needs vary by sport, type, and intensity of the activity, age, body size, goals and training volume. Generally speaking, the more intense the activity and the more hours you train, the higher your carbohydrate and overall calorie needs will be.”