Program Development

Peak Health and Performance (PHP) is a nutrition education program developed by faculty and staff at Michigan State University, Division of Sports and Cardiovascular Nutrition, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Spartan Performance Training Center, and by Michigan State University Extension, East Lansing, MI.

Rationale for PHP

Youth sports can play a major role in shaping and developing physical, mental, and emotional behaviors in young athletes and has been used successfully in promoting such life skills as leadership, goal setting, and academic success. One area of focus that has been overlooked among young athletes is in the area of nutrition education and nutrition recommendations. Nutrition can play a substantial role in athletic performance and athletes should be aware of the guidelines and recommendations for general and sport-specific nutrition practices. An important skillset for an athlete to develop includes understanding nutrition’s important role in athletic performance, knowing recommendations for adequate consumption of each of the food groups, recognizing the importance of pre-and post-competition meals and snacks, knowing the pitfalls of sport supplementation, and understanding the role of hydration for athletic performance.

Recommendations for dietary intake are based on the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  Sport-specific nutrition recommendations and behaviors, such as timing of intake and hydration practices, are based on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance position statement and the Sports Dietitians of Australia Position Statement: Sports Nutrition for the Adolescent Athlete.

Video: Up2Us Lunch & Learn: Peak Health and Performance: A Nutrition Program for the Adolescent Athlete 

Peak Health and Performance: A Nutrition Intervention for the Young Athlete
Gibbs, Ronald L., Jr.   Michigan State University ProQuest Dissertations Publishing,  2020. 27669063.

 

 

Funding

This project was funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - SNAP and The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP).