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Right Nutrition, Great Achievement: The Role of On-Demand Health Workers for Student Athletes

  • Writer: Elizabeth Santoso
    Elizabeth Santoso
  • Jun 30
  • 2 min read

Student athletes are a group with very specific nutritional needs. On one hand, they undergo intense physical activities for training and competition. On the other hand, they must also maintain their academic performance. Balancing nutrient intake, meal timing, and energy requirements is crucial to support their growth, muscle recovery, and endurance. Unfortunately, many student athletes have yet to receive optimal nutritional guidance due to limited access to nutritionists or dietitians.


On-demand health workers emerge as a solution to these challenges. Through digital platforms, student athletes can now connect with professional nutritionists for personalized, flexible, and easily accessible nutrition counseling anytime. This service allows counseling via video calls, chats, or direct visits as needed, without having to leave the school or home environment.


During counseling sessions, nutritionists analyze daily calorie needs, macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fats), as well as essential micronutrients based on the type of sport, age, and training intensity. The counseling also includes education on proper meal timing, hydration, supplements, and recovery strategies after training or competitions.


The main advantage of on-demand health workers is their flexibility and personalized approach. Student athletes can schedule sessions around their busy school and training schedules. They can also consult regularly to monitor progress or adjust their diet plans based on competition calendars and current physical condition.


Some platforms also provide features like daily food intake tracking, menu recommendations, and hydration reminders integrated with the counseling. This greatly helps in building sustainable healthy eating habits, rather than short-term diet plans.


This approach can also involve coaches, parents, or school mentors as part of the support system. With such collaboration, nutritional interventions can be more comprehensive and consistently implemented in the athletes’ daily lives.


However, the success of this program requires commitment from all parties—schools, parents, coaches, and of course the athletes themselves. Challenges such as internet access, device limitations, or lack of digital literacy remain issues in some areas. Therefore, support from educational institutions and the government in providing infrastructure and training is crucial.


Nutrition counseling through on-demand health workers opens up great opportunities in nurturing healthier, high-achieving, and competitive student athletes. With a personalized and measurable digital approach, they are equipped not only with physical abilities but also an understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle from an early age.


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