Kid Athletes Don’t Diet

It’s not usually healthy for kids to go on diets - to lose or gain weight. Coaches or teammates who say you have to go on a diet are probably giving you bad advice. Talk these issues over with your mom or dad and your doctor, if necessary.

Some sports emphasize large or small body sizes, but kids can play sports like gymnastics or football without going to extremes to lose or gain weight. In fact, because kids are still growing it’s important to let your body grow to the height it was meant to be and dieting can jeopardize that if it’s not healthy.

Some strategies, such as high-protein diets or protein supplements, can cause serious problems, like kidney damage. Using steroids, an illegal drug, is another dangerous way to gain weight. Kids and adults should steer clear of those. Skipping meals, eliminating certain food groups, or going on fasts (not eating at all or eating very little) also can be harmful to kids.

Being busy can make it difficult to eat regular meals, so talk with your mom or dad about how to handle meals when you’re at practice or a game. When you can, try to eat dinners at home. Research shows kids eat healthier when they regularly share meals with their families.

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