YOUTH PROTECTION ADVOCATES IN DANCE welcomes Jennifer Rogers as our FIRST advising Nutritionist! Jennifer is a registered dietitian and has written curriculum’s for several American Diabetes Association Certified Education programs.
Research proves young dancers are increasingly choosing their food by how their body LOOKS over how their body FEELS! Many have expressed an overall lack of knowledge regarding what choices are best and feel overwhelmed with the plethora of information, some of it possibly false, that permeates cyber-space regarding nutrition.
Y.P.A.D. believes we can advocate for the dancers/athletes under our care by educating them on the proper fuel their body needs.
Guiding our children how to make healthy food choices is a gift we can give them as dance educators and parents that will last a lifetime!!!
A message from Jennifer:
Nutrition and fitness are the cornerstone of children’s health. It has been documented that food choices affect brain capacity, physical skill and emotional well being. However, nutrition habits and recommendations, both in terms of what children are eating and what we are “telling them”/”showing them” as important nutrition concepts, in dance and performance is a topic we must explore further as research based nutrition guidelines and recommendations are lacking within many dance settings that
are currently working with children therefore impacting lifelong eating habits and behaviors of the children growing in this environment. We all have a responsibility to these children to provide them with the best possible “nutrition tool-box” both for growth as a dancer and growth into healthy adulthood.
We encourage proper stretching, proper technique, punctuality to classes/rehearsals, dancing “full out” for long hours often while seemingly in many cases ignoring the equal importance that nutrition plays in the developing dancers body and impact on performance and general well being.
As a Registered Dietitian and mother of a young dancer and young gymnast I am passionate about sharing my personal and professional insight into this topic with those professionals working with our young dancers/athletes as well as with parents.
Topics we will begin to address through the Nutrition Y.P.A.D. blog will include but are not limited to:
- What to Eat before and after Class and Rehearsal
- What to Eat during Conventions and Competitions
- Nutrition tips for Traveling
- Nutrition Supplements/bars
- Snacking for performance
- Daily Nutrition Guidelines for Girls and Boys
- Eating Disorders/Disordered Eating
- “Reader requested topics”
