Protein consumption and muscle mania

Before school, during the lunch break, in the evening - weight training can be done at any time. But strong muscles require strong food. Fitness foods are in vogue. What are they good for?

Jonas eats low-fat quark with berries for breakfast, a pot of cottage cheese for snack and chicken with rice for lunch. He has some low-fat quark for snack and a protein shake for dinner after training. This is how the 15-year-old eats every day. Although he eats at the family table, Jonas adapts his meals to his needs. And his needs are primarily muscle building and muscle maintenance. The six-pack in summer is the goal.

Distorted body perception

Many other young people, especially boys, share Jonas' desire for more muscle mass. A survey of 400 young people from German-speaking Switzerland revealed that 60 per cent of girls want to be slimmer and have already gone on a diet to achieve this, while 77 per cent of boys want more muscle. Around two thirds of them also train to fulfil this wish.
Body image plays a major role in all age groups. It is particularly important in adolescence, as the body undergoes major changes due to hormonal changes. Young people also have a strong desire to fit in and compare themselves with their peers, especially on social media.
It is exciting to see that even very young boys already know exactly what it takes to get more muscle. These are children who are still too young to go to the fitness centre or have too little money to buy fitness foods. The children and young people get their information from the Internet. The search for more muscle leads to numerous websites where nutrition plans, training plans, training sessions and so on can be found in abundance.

When should parents worry?

It is not easy for Jonas' parents to interpret their son's new behaviour. On the one hand, they think it's great that he's getting involved in nutrition and sport and regularly integrating it into his everyday life. On the other hand, it is stressful that Jonas no longer takes part in meals together, but always gets an «extra sausage».
Many parents feel this ambivalence and don't really know whether their child's behaviour is still normal. As this fitness or muscle addiction is still a relatively new but increasingly common phenomenon and can also take very different forms, there is still a great deal of uncertainty in dealing with it. If you feel uncomfortable as a parent and notice a worrying change in your child's behaviour, it may be worth talking to other mothers and fathers or visiting a specialist centre.

Are preparations needed?

Studies show that sporty young people, especially boys, are increasingly turning to dietary supplements. These promise faster muscle building, better performance and faster muscle regeneration. The risks of such products are not recognised or ignored by young people. It has also been found that children and adolescents who take supplements at a young age later turn to stronger anabolic supplements, some of which are illegal and do more harm than good to the body.

The really exciting thing about this discussion is that sporty and body-conscious young people usually eat a regular and balanced diet due to their increased physical performance and thus provide their bodies with all the important nutrients. This means that additional supplements are actually superfluous and put a strain on the wallet .

Show interest and respect

To avoid being seen as a spoilsport parent or losing contact with the children, it is important that you ask your son or daughter and show interest. As soon as there is a respectful basis for discussion, compromises can be negotiated so that family meals can continue to take place together, but also so that sporting desires can be satisfied and no secret activities take place.

Strength training is not unhealthy per se, nor does it necessarily lead in a pathological direction. It is very efficient and strengthening in every respect and promotes a healthy body weight, which is very welcome in our rather sedentary times.
However, as soon as the training and diet develop a kind of compulsion and stress arises within the family, it is important that you as parents monitor the further progress and seek help from specialists.

Fitness - what is no longer normal

If you notice one or more of these behaviours in your child, it is recommended that you first observe and address them. If it intensifies, you should consult a specialist.

Soziale Isolation: Persönlicher Kontakt mit Freunden wird weniger, Kontakt auf den sozialen Medien wird stärker.
Ein Tag ohne Fitness bedeutet Stress, Anspannung und schlechte Laune.
Die konstante Beschäftigung mit dem Körperbild, dem Trainingsplan und der Ernährung.
Die starke Rigidität in Bezug auf das Essen fördert Essanfälle. Das Verbot von beispielsweise Zucker löst ein noch grösseres Verlangen nach Zucker aus, was zu Essanfällen führen kann und zu noch stärkerer Rigidität.