On-line Nutrition course for Dancers

[Louise Cabral]

I am creating an on-line nutrition course for dancers.  Would there be interest in this, and what would you like this course to include?

I come from a dance science and medicine background and worked as a journalist and dance critic.  I aim to make the science behind all the nutritional advice easy to understand and to apply to your everyday food choices. It's not quantity, but quality of calories that matters.  Eating should be a pleasure, not a torment.

 

[Peanut68]

Can you clarify if this will be a pay for course/service?

I personally would be very wary of anything ‘sponsored by’ or with banner advertisements etc if ‘healthy foods/lifestyle things/celebrity endorsements’ etc.

But a genuine nutrition educating course....yes, interesting! 

[Peony]

I’d personally immediately look to see if a registered dietitian had been involved in the programme. I presume this is one thing you’d pay for?

[Louise Cabral]

Just to clarify, the course I am proposing would not be sponsored.  There would be no banner advertisements or celebrity endorsements.  Yes, it would be something you would pay for, but reasonable.  I know the majority of dancers don't have a lot of spare cash.  My aim would be to equip you with the tools to make sound decisions about your diet and to be able to put together your own meal plans, knowing what foods to eat and when to fuel your training and performance.  The aim would be to help facilitate peak performance and avoid injury.  I was trained as a dietician at King's College, London, and have an MSc in Dance Science and Medicine.

[Peanut68]

I could see this being a good add on service vocational schools could offer.... might be worth approaching them to offer subscription terms....a good business model for you too perhaps? 

A fully independent (must not be reportable back to the schools to maintain student confidentiality & thus encourage take up of use) service whereby they pay you for X number of users... then offer as standard to their - I would suggest only Upper School age 16+ - pupils an opportunity for free access. Added benefit to schools that they offer this free to use service....

added benefit to parents & pupils that there is another additional element of care....can never be too many. 

[dancefanatic]

7 hours ago, Peanut68 said:

 

A fully independent (must not be reportable back to the schools to maintain student confidentiality & thus encourage take up of use) service whereby they pay you for X number of users... then offer as standard to their - I would suggest only Upper School age 16+ - pupils an opportunity for free access. Added benefit to schools that they offer this free to use service....

 

I think offering this to vocational schools a really good idea but would say from Y10 (14+) rather than Upper Schools only. I have seen a lot of eating issues start in Y10, certainly with my own DD and her friends. As this is an age, particularly for girls but boys too, where hormones are changing rapidly, as are physiques, much more support from a safe resource and training of staff is needed. 
 

Good luck Louise, this sounds like it could be an incredibly helpful tool for young dancers. 

[Peanut68]

Actually, good point dancefanatic....you are absolutely right about the vulnerable age range....

I guess carefully prepared & age appropriate material for all age groups would be beneficial....

For us parents too....though I could imagine that if our youngsters think we are reading same stuff it will be less of interest to them....basing this on my own teens who basically think (know?) Mum is so uncool & so out of date!!! 

[Belleballerina]

This beautiful young lady published this amazing book a few years ago now - she danced with my daughter with National Youth Ballet uk and has some amazing recipes and my then 14 year old dancer read the book pictures and recipes are always good especially on Instagram 

[Dance.Mum]

11 hours ago, dancefanatic said:

I think offering this to vocational schools a really good idea but would say from Y10 (14+) rather than Upper Schools only. I have seen a lot of eating issues start in Y10, certainly with my own DD and her friends. As this is an age, particularly for girls but boys too, where hormones are changing rapidly, as are physiques, much more support from a safe resource and training of staff is needed. 
 

Good luck Louise, this sounds like it could be an incredibly helpful tool for young dancers. 

 

This is most definitely a topic that should be covered by boys as well as girls.

 

Is nutrition not covered at vocational schools?

 

[Peony]

are you a nutritionist or a dietitian, do you have a professional registration? I think it is important depending on what the aim is- general advice and information fine but if it’s tailored meal planners taking into account individual circumstances I’d expect a HCPC registered dietitian. You’d need the HCPC reg to work in the NHS. Obviously I’ve no idea of your background and experience but I’d look for HCPC registration and experience working directly with patients and I would expect vocational schools to aswell. Or a programme in conjunction and endorsed by a dietitian?

[Peanut68]

Also needs to take into account people’s circumstances.... often healthy eating ambitions can be difficult within a family setting (Finances might be limited, also the main household shopper often dictates what’s eaten/cooked or parents ‘ as eating habits’ are transferred.

Also many dancers are eating in boarding school/college canteens - again may not have opportunity to put into practise meal plans etc unless others take it on too.... needs parent/family/schools to all join forces perhaps? 

 

 

 

[Peony]

A quick google found a few  things out there already, for example

https://pointenutrition.com/dancers/

https://dancenutrition.com/dancer-health/

 

It’s from a dietitian in the US but looks like it was nominated for a IADMS award, a free general info site which links to a subscription site with tailored advice and lessons. Not particularly cheap but I guess you pay £50 for one dietitian appointment so may be good value for some, I don’t know. I guess you would need to think what your unique selling point would be

[Louise Cabral]

On 22/08/2020 at 07:42, dancefanatic said:

I think offering this to vocational schools a really good idea but would say from Y10 (14+) rather than Upper Schools only. I have seen a lot of eating issues start in Y10, certainly with my own DD and her friends. As this is an age, particularly for girls but boys too, where hormones are changing rapidly, as are physiques, much more support from a safe resource and training of staff is needed. 
 

Good luck Louise, this sounds like it could be an incredibly helpful tool for young dancers. 

 

[Louise Cabral]

Thanks so much for all your thoughts and considerations on my project.  I agree that eating issues do start young with dancers.  For girls it is usually around the time of reaching menarche and the changes that brings in hormones and body composition and for good reason.  As a passionate young dancer my own experience with eating abnormalities began at that time.

i certainly agree that when eating disorders or abnormalities are found to be an issue all dancers whether professional, pre-professional or recreational, should see a registered dietician for personal assistance with their own unique needs.  i would certainly advise this.  I am not a registered dietician but can advise in  more general terms from an evidence-based scientific perspective and help individuals to sort the hype surrounding diet in the general media from reliable thoroughly researched nutritional information.  It is this information I would want to make available and workable in my on-line course.

Please let me know the kinds of questions you would want answered in such a course.  Your input would be extremely helpful.

With thanks,

Louise

[Pixiewoo]

sounds fascinating.

 

I think being able to answer questions such as  - I am A yrs old, I weigh X amount, my build is C, I dance around Y hours a week on top of school ; what would be a good 'plan' to follow ... amount of protein/carbs etc

 

DD has become a bit of a 'faddy' eater over lockdown ... tried vegan for a while, tries to eat more veggie meals ( but loves meat! ), has days where she only wants to eat fruit/veg, and has decided she has a daily intolerance and now has soya milk. That said .... overall, she is eating healthily and i'm not worried, but someone 'reputable' who is NOT mum, may be listened to more! 

 

 

[Louise Cabral]

3 hours ago, Pixiewoo said:

sounds fascinating.

 

I think being able to answer questions such as  - I am A yrs old, I weigh X amount, my build is C, I dance around Y hours a week on top of school ; what would be a good 'plan' to follow ... amount of protein/carbs etc

 

DD has become a bit of a 'faddy' eater over lockdown ... tried vegan for a while, tries to eat more veggie meals ( but loves meat! ), has days where she only wants to eat fruit/veg, and has decided she has a daily intolerance and now has soya milk. That said .... overall, she is eating healthily and i'm not worried, but someone 'reputable' who is NOT mum, may be listened to more! 

 

 

Dear Pixiewoo, although your DD has been "a bit of a faddy eater over lockdown", it does look like she has a fairly varied diet.  However, she would be wise to include all the macro-nutrients with each meal.  That includes protein and some fat.  If only eating fruit/veg, her carbohydrate intake would be fine, but protein and fat may be lacking.  Not all fats are the same, of course, and she should opt for those that are liquid at room temperature (mono-unsaturated) and/or liquid in the fridge (poly-unsaturated), e.g. walnut oil.

Opting for soya milk rather than standard diary is fine provided it is fortified with calcium.  Many are.  This is what I use because I have never liked the taste of diary milk.

Thank you for getting back to me with your suggestions as to the types of question you'd like answered in my on-line nutrition course.  I can certainly advise on amounts of carbs/protein etc for dancers doing a particular amount of dance activity per day or week, but for adults only.  As reaching maturation is so varied among adolescents there are no set quantities of nutrients recommended for the diet.  It is just essential to encourage adequate food intake for the dancer and to moderate the training load to ensure normal menstruation takes place.  This is essential for avoiding early onset osteoporosis.  This is not uncommon among dancers.

Best wishes,

Louise