Diets-Metabolism   [back to the Category]

Teenage dancers   [read the french version]

Author :   Dr Paule Nathan

The "sports-child", as a matter of ethics, ought to be better protected.

Intensive ballet dancing begins earlier and earlier. It is becoming more and more common for children and teenagers to undergo demanding and extensive training. These youngsters are, therefore, bound by several constraints. On top of the nutritional requirements linked to a rapidly growing organism, are the energy levels required by a demanding physical activity.
Various studies have shown that the "sports-child", all too often, has a nutrition that is low in calories and protein, is deficient in calcium, iron, vitamin C and B complex vitamins. The hydrous INTAKE LEVEL is, all too often, insufficient. Busy timetables, travelling and stress are factors that disrupt eating habits which can lead to a nutritional imbalance. Ballet lessons of a morning, school of an afternoon. Given such a pace, meals are eaten quickly or even skipped completely.

Dancers are subjected to weight constraints at a very early age.
Over the past few years, we have seen an added, crucial constraint appear on the scene that is linked to sporting activities with weight categories (judo, wrestling, etc.) and sports that require "superthin" weight control (ballet, figure skating, eurhythmics, gymnastics, etc.). The set weight is very often below that of the physiological weight.
Youngsters are obliged to follow dietary restrictions during their teenage years, an age of hunger and cravings. It is at this time in their lives, when dietary behaviour acts as a valve for inner tensions and clashes with the adult world. Thus, the paradox can be crucial between dietary urges which are the expression of a certain internalization and the obligation linked to the sport's constraint. In some sports, the child is torn between his dietary behaviour and the obligation to proffer a "superthin" image. This image, which must be the exact measure, tends to increase inner frailty.
Time constraints are important. For example, young female dancers have to fit in both choreographic and academic studies. They have irregular and compressed timetables that disrupt meal times. Moreover, they have to keep their calorie intake levels below requirements in order to maintain a state of "thinness". During the academic year, they can frequently go through episodes of bulimia, anorexia and obesity on a rebound effect. These restrictions are the cause of menstruation problems, fatigue, vertigo, tendon fragility and stress fractures. A well balanced and personalized diet, coupled with vitamin and mineral complements will avoid these problems.

What can we do?
We certainly cannot change the female dancer's image. Angels, nymphs, sylphs that fly across the stage on the tip of their pointes can hardly be performed by overly round, female dancers. It is difficult enough to imagine a 65 kilo cherub going across the stage, let alone one weighing 80 kilos. It must be acknowledged that female dancers and skaters who appear a little slimmer than children of their own age have the ideal figure when on stage or on ice. Those having the figure of a normal teenager would appear overly round.
These children and teenagers must, therefore, be protected. Take care that their meals are balanced as far as is possible and give them the theoretical and practical basics for a balanced diet. If they show a need, take them to see a doctor specialized in nutrition or a psychologist.
Make sure that these children do not become delicate because they very often, attribute the beginning of their career failure to their figure. This can leave deep scars including a negative self-image and a false body image. A large proportion of former, female dancers have dietary behaviour problems (bulimia-anorexia-obesity). It must be explained to them that the discipline they have chosen, very often requires that they acquire a weight inferior to their normal weight when they, the children and teenagers, have normal figures.

Sports and regulations.

Intensive sporting activity during pre-teenage or teenage years often results in delayed puberty amongst the girls, thus delaying breast development and the beginning of menstruation.
Several mechanisms are involved: hormone deficiency together with fatty tissue insufficiency which blocks the activation of female hormones (oestrogen), dietary restrictions, mental blocks resulting from the sport's constraint. Menstruation begins very often at about the age of 17 amongst keen sportswomen.
We recommend a diet that provides sufficient protein, calcium and vitamin D because we fear a reduced bone mineralization.