Fueling a teenage runner.

? My 14-year-old daughter has started participating in high school cross country racing. What would you suggest for a young runner's diet both before a meet and in general to sustain her good health? We are new at this, so any information would be greatly appreciated.

Francine Bidwell, Harrisburg, PA

You are absolutely right to focus on your fledgling athlete's diet. Active children and adolescents do have special nutritional needs and most people ignore this. Your body won't perform well without the proper nutrition. Malnourishment can be a concern in particular with teenage girls; running is one of the sports where eating disorders are common. I tell my young patients that thinness does not equal better performance.

The American Academy of Pediatrics writes that females ages 11 to 18 need 2,200 calories per day. The average kid needs 44 to 46 grams of protein a day as well. For athletes, as you might expect, the calorie requirement goes up based on activity. If your daughter is 100 Ibs, she will need at least 54 grams of protein daily.

A training diet should consist of about 55 to 60% carbohydrates, 12 to 15% protein and 25 to 40% fat. In heavy training you might increase protein intake to 15 or 20%. Make sure your daughter also gets adequate iron. Good food sources include meat, beans, peas, spinach and iron-enriched breads.

These days carbohydrates have been given a bad name, which is a shame. No-carb diets are not for kids.

Chronically omitting carbohydrate-rich foods will decrease muscle glycogen stores (the fuel for running). Common high-carb foods include: beans, rice, spaghetti, flour tortillas, waffles, bagels, whole wheat bread, oatmeal, shredded wheat, graham crackers and popcorn--as well as apples, bananas, cantaloupe, oranges, peaches, pears, raisins, potatoes, corn and carrots. See "What Does 4 oz of Broccoli Look Like?" on page two for serving size estimates.

Your daughter should eat before practice and meets. The amount of time for eating prior to running varies depending on the individual, but one to four hours is an appropriate range.

Some sources on nutrition include: The Gatorade Sports Science Institute, www.gssiweb.com; Fitness Training for Girls: A Teen Girl's Guide to Resistance Training, Cardiovascular Conditioning and Nutrition by Katrina Gaede, Alan Lachica and Doug Werner; and Fueling the Teen Machine by Ellen Shanley and Colleen Thompson.

Terry Adirim, MD, Washington, DC

RELATED ARTICLE: Are you bothered by an injury? Do you have a training or diet question?

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