UAB Expands Sports Nutrition Program for Student-Athletes
Last year, sports medicine providers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham partnered with Bama Wellness Advocacy to launch a revolutionary nutrition program for athletes in Birmingham City Schools. This initiative emphasizes the significance of proper nutrition alongside factors like sleep and mental health.
Initially starting with basketball programs at Ramsey High School and Huffman High School, the program has since expanded to include four football programs, six basketball programs, and additional spring sports teams across Birmingham City Schools. Led by James Jones, head athletic trainer for the UAB Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, and Jacquie Fazekas, founder of Bama Wellness Advocacy, the program at Wenonah High School has broadened to feature a Peer Health and Wellness Club, collaborating with the school’s culinary arts program.
“Through the Peer Health and Wellness Club, we educate coaches, parents, and athletes on how to prioritize healthy eating in their lives,” said Fazekas. This expansion includes partnerships with local caterers to provide nutrition education, snacks, and pre-game meals for athletes.
As part of the program, UAB Sports and Exercise Medicine added the benefit of access to a registered dietitian who offers counseling on weight management and dietary recommendations for athletic performance.
“Young athletes are catalysts for health change in their communities,” Jones commented. Their influence has encouraged their families and community members to prioritize health, and there are plans to expand the program to reach every student-athlete in Birmingham City Schools.
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