How many calories a day should a student athlete consume?

When we look at a student athlete child we have to consider that they are using more calories than their friends not involved in sport. According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services We Can! program the typical female student athlete child between the ages of four and eight should consume 1,400 to 1,800 calories. A typical female student athlete child between the ages of 9 and 13 should consume 1,800 to 2,200 calories a day, and if they are between the ages of 14 and 18 they should be consuming 2,400 calories. For a male student athlete child between the ages of four and eight they should be consuming between 1,600 and 2,000 calories. The student athlete child between the ages of 9 and 13 should consume between 2,000 and 2,600 calories, and if they are between 14 and 18 they should consume between 2,800 and 3,200 calories. It is also important that the types of calories the athlete consumes are balanced between carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

(This answer provided for NATA by Michael J. Horan, ATC.)