The AHDB campaign, Eat like a Lioness, aims to help more young athletes realise their full potential by understanding the science of what they eat. Former Lioness Anita Asante is encouraging girls to eat like their sporting heroes to improve their performance.
The campaign comes as research shows a third of girls (35%) play football[1] with many inspired to start by the current women’s England football team. Yet,
⚽️ 53% of teenage girls told AHDB they restrict what they eat
⚽️ 44% have experienced tiredness and a lack of energy in the last year
⚽️ 29% say they have cut back on dairy or red meat in the last year[LB1]
⚽️ A quarter (26%) either have been diagnosed with, or suspect they have, either a Vitamin B12 or iron deficiency.
With more girls taking part in sport than ever before, our future sporting stars will require foods rich in these nutrients to ensure their bodies are fuelled to satisfy the physical demands of sport, with their current diets potentially putting them at risk of nutritional deficiencies, which can affect everything from their energy to their bones to their immune systems. The benefits of a healthy, balanced diet containing red meat and dairy are critical in sport both physically and mentally.
💪 Good luck to the team in their next match against Nigeria.
#eatlikealioness #balanceddiet #healthyeating #nutrition #redmeat #dairy