Growth of youth sports participation is obviously seen as a beneficial development for public health and fitness. However, considerations need to be made for how these youth athletes are eating. Adolescence is a period of intense growth, during which time the consumption of a healthy balanced diet is essential for the growth and maturation of these young athletes. Exercise uses additional stores of nutrients over and above those required by daily life, and achieving energy balance is very important to avoid conditions such as overtraining syndrome and relative energy deficiency (REDs). Research has shown that improved nutritional knowledge results in improved nutritional practice, which continues into adulthood. UEFA recently published an expert group consensus statement on nutrition in football, of which ‘Junior footballers’ were a distinct category. There are many challenges faced by parents and carers who are trying to feed their sons or daughters, so the time available to ensure that these players are eating well is therefore at a premium. In this webinar, academy nutritionist Adam Lloyd will present the results of his research into nutritional knowledge of professional academy football players.
About Adam
Adam Lloyd mBANT CNHC is a registered nutritional therapist and a Level 3 personal trainer. He qualified at the University of Worcester where he is currently completing his MSc in nutrition. Additionally, he completed the Certificate of Integrative Sports Nutrition earlier this year, and is the academy nutritionist at Cheltenham Town FC in the English football league. In his private practice he specialises in sports nutrition, taking a functional and integrative approach; working in team sports and with endurance athletes. Adam is based in Cheltenham and practices throughout the Cotswold’s and online: adamlloydwellbeing.com; FB – Adam Lloyd Wellbeing; Twitter – @alloydwellbeing; Instagram – @adamlloydwellbeing.