News Summary

New research from University of Minnesota School of Public Health researchers has found nearly half of overweight adolescents ages 12 to 17 also participate in organized physical activities.

Quotes

• “Youth sport is encouraged as a way to help curb the obesity epidemic among young people, but the results of our review show that the activity alone might not be enough to prevent extra weight gain,” said School of Public Health researcher Toben F. Nelson, Sc.D., assistant professor within the Division of Epidemiology & Community Health.
• “The fact that many studies show that sport participants are as likely as non-participants to be overweight is interesting because studies consistently show that participants are more likely to be physically active.”
• “The poor food options available in youth sport settings aren’t recognized as a problem,” Nelson notes. “Parents and league administrators say they are not very concerned about junk food in sport because kids who play sports are physically active, so a little bit of extra junk food isn’t really going to hurt them.”
• “We definitely encourage participation in youth sport,” Nelson said. “But we need to do better in providing a healthier environment.”  

Full Text

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (December 13, 2011) – Simply participating in sport may not protect youth from becoming overweight, according to a review of research conducted by University of Minnesota School of Public Health researchers. In one study, nearly half of adolescents ages 12 to 17 who are overweight participate in organized sports.

The research stems from the Healthy Youth Sports Study (HYSS), an ongoing research project designed to investigate the relationship between youth sport participation and obesity prevention strategies. The project involves researchers from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health, Medical School and School of Kinesiology.

Participation in youth sport is recommended for increasing physical activity, but little research exists on whether sport promotes energy balance or prevents obesity.

“Youth sport is encouraged as a way to help curb the obesity epidemic among young people, but the results of our review show that the activity alone might not be enough to prevent extra weight gain,” said School of Public Health researcher Toben F. Nelson, Sc.D., assistant professor within the Division of Epidemiology & Community Health. “The fact that many studies show that sport participants are as likely as non-participants to be overweight is interesting because studies consistently show that participants are more likely to be physically active.”

The culprit, according to researchers, appears to be the high-calorie culture pervading youth sports.

Although sport clearly promotes physical activity, those benefits may be offset by an accompanying spike in junk food. Youth sports participants eat more fast food, drink more sugar-sweetened beverages and consume more calories than their non-participating counterparts. In-game snacks, sugary drinks, concession stands and post-game fast food trips are all commonplace.

“The poor food options available in youth sport settings aren’t recognized as a problem,” Nelson notes. “Parents and league administrators say they are not very concerned about junk food in sport because kids who play sports are physically active, so a little bit of extra junk food isn’t really going to hurt them.”

According to Nelson and his colleagues, parents, coaches and league administrators can help youth make healthier choices when it comes to stocking the concession stand and choosing snacks. Fruits, veggies and cheeses provide energy and nutrients, whereas candy bars and sugary sports drinks offer mostly empty calories.

“We definitely encourage participation in youth sport,” Nelson said. “But we need to do better in providing a healthier environment.”

The study appears in the November/December edition of Current Sports Medicine Reports.