Sports and children: useful tips

There are many benefits of sport on children and young people. Yet in Italy only a few do physical activity. Here’s how to bring the little ones closer to the most suitable sporting activity for them.

Harmonious development of the body, improvement of health in general, awareness of the existence of rules and the importance of respecting them, improvement of the relationship with the environment and with others.

These are just some of the benefits of sport on children and young people. Yet there are few, compared to other European countries, to practice one.

So let’s see how to encourage the approach to sport in children, as well as which disciplines and lifestyle habits are best suited to childhood and adolescence.

Fun yes, competition no

First of all, it must be borne in mind that sport in general – and for a child in particular – must be synonymous with fun. Especially in the little ones it must be able to be experienced as a game.

Making it become, as happens in many families, a competitive performance in which the little ones can not fail, is the most serious mistake that can be committed.

It is also good that parents support the inclinations of their children, encouraging the desire to learn to swim, rather than to play football, avoiding impositions.

Forcing the child’s choice towards a sport only causes discomfort which, in the end, nullifies the benefit of physical activity itself.

And there is a risk that the child will soon abandon all sports, not just the imposed one.

If possible, it would be better to encourage different disciplines, so that the child can find the sport most akin to him. Only in this way can the simple game evolve into a healthy competition.

The most suitable sports

According to experts, up to three years the sport that most respects the child is swimming.

For the older ones you can instead choose among those that associate motion with a good component of relationship, which means leisure and socialization.

In practice, team sports such as football and basketball. They develop a sense of respect for the rules and foster the spirit of cooperation.

To the psychic and physical growth of the child close to 6-8 years can contribute sports that allow both to refine the perception of their body and to learn the importance of simple rules. Green light, therefore, to disciplines such as martial arts and dance.

And the practice at a competitive level? Not recommended before the age of 12.

It is only near puberty that the psycho-physical structure of the boy allows him to face improvement programs that aim to compete, overcome his limits and excel.

Very important nutrition

Playing sports engages muscles, bones and brain, in short, the whole organism. This applies to adults and especially to children and teenagers.

For this reason they must have all the elements that allow its optimal functioning: proteins that form in muscles, calcium for the bones, carbohydrates and fats to produce energy and vitamins and mineral salts to bring the body’s engine to maximum speed.

Here are the vitamins and salts that can not miss:

1. Vitamin B1, or thiamine: it is involved in the reactions that transform glucose into energy. It can be found in almost all foods of animal and plant origin.
2. Vitamin B2, or riboflavin: participates in numerous metabolic processes and intervenes in various reactions aimed at energy production. The main sources are milk, yogurt and cheese.
3. Vitamin B3, or niacin: it is also involved in energy metabolism. It is found in meat, fish, cereals and mushrooms.
4. Vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid: facilitates the transformation of carbohydrates, fats and proteins into energy. It is found in almost all foods of animal and plant origin.
5. Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine: it is essential in physical activity because it activates the release of glycogen (stored energy) by the liver and muscles. It is present in vegetables, whole grains, legumes, meat, fish, eggs, milk.
6. Vitamin B8, or biotin : allows the synthesis of fatty acids and is involved in the metabolism of amino acids and in the formation of glycogen. It can be found in liver and egg yolk, but also in dairy products, meat and some legumes.
7. Vitamin B12, or cobalamin: allows the assimilation of fats, carbohydrates and proteins, transforming them into energy. It is found only in products of animal origin, such as liver, egg yolk, meat, fish, cheese and milk.
8. Calcium and Vitamin D : These are essential for maintaining healthy bones. The former is mainly present in dairy products, the latter in some fish, dairy products and eggs.
9. Vitamin C , E, A and Selenium : they are powerful Antioxidants , therefore they help the body to counteract the negative effects of free radicals. They are mostly found in fruits and vegetables.

When the diet cannot offer all these important elements in useful doses and in periods of intense effort, it is therefore advisable to resort to supplementation.