[Nutritional and fluid requirements of the child involved in sports]

Between generally accepted recommendations and individually ascertained values for need of energy, nutrients and water, which are evaluated more exactly only by laboratories of nutritional physiology and of sportsmedicine, wide variations are possible. For practical purpose regular controls of physical development, competitiveness, regular weighing, measuring and testing alone, give the possibility to assess, whether food-intake meets quantitatively the need. Qualitatively deficient nutrient-intake is only shown after some time elapsed by reduced competitiveness or reduced nutritional recommendations are to performed, which are summarized in the ten rules of prudent nutrition (DGE). In competitive sports, basic for optimal, sporty nutrition are controls of physical development and of nutritional intake (nutritional anamnesis). To avoid nutritional deficiencies and their consequences in children doing intensive sport, following minimal demands should be performed: 1. Children, regularly highly trained are classified to "children at risk" and are to be looked after by physician with a degree in sportsmedicine, familiar with the development of children (pediatrician). 2. Physical development of children performing competitive sports has to be investigated and documented in two-monthly periods (training-protocols, growth-charts) minimal. 3. Minimum twice a year, by a nutritional well qualified person (physician in sports, nutritional scientist, dietitian) a nutritional advisory has to be done to the children together with parents and trainer. 4. If physical development or competitiveness will be disturbed, the individual need of energy and nutrients has to be ascertained, basic for an following nutritional advisory. 5. Assumption of energy-need for children performing competitive sports has to be done individually. Basic for assumption is the "biological age".(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)