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Sports Nutrition Advice for Adolescent Athletes: A Time to Focus on Food

August 2015
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine 9(6)

DOI:10.1177/1559827615598530

Authors:

Mary Ellen Bingham

Boston University

Paula A Quatromoni

Boston University

Adolescents participating in sport have high demands for nutritional adequacy to meet their needs for growth, development, wellness and athletics. Nutritional risk can be quite high in this population due to their unique needs, low access to credible information and nutrition professionals, and misinformation in the media and marketplace specifically targeting athletes. Physicians and other health professionals have an opportunity to communicate nutrition facts and make evidence-based recommendations about healthy eating in the setting of their ongoing interactions with adolescent athletes and their families. The purpose of this review is to describe the nutritional needs of adolescents participating in sport and highlight the potential for nutritional risk. Endorsed by professional organizations, our recommendations emphasize a balanced eating pattern that includes a wide variety of fresh, minimally processed whole foods. Our approach is to empower and teach adolescents to take responsibility for planning, preparing, and providing themselves consistent access to foods and fluids that deliver nutrients needed for proper fueling and recovery. Specific talking points that health professionals can use in brief interactions with patients and families are provided to endorse key behavioral strategies that young athletes can adopt to achieve peak athletic performance and optimal nutritional status.

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398

Nov • Dec 2015American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine

Mary Ellen Bingham, MS, RD, CSSD, Mimi E. Borkan,

and Paula A. Quatromoni, DSc, RD

Abstract: Adolescents participating

in sport have high demands for

nutritional adequacy to meet their

needs for growth, development, wellness

and athletics. Nutritional risk can

be quite high in this population due

to their unique needs, low access to

credible information and nutrition

professionals, and misinformation in

the media and marketplace specifically

targeting athletes. Physicians and other

health professionals have an opportunity

to communicate nutrition facts and

make evidence-based recommendations

about healthy eating in the setting

of their ongoing interactions with

adolescent athletes and their families.

The purpose of this review is to describe

the nutritional needs of adolescents

participating in sport and highlight

the potential for nutritional risk.

Endorsed by professional organizations,

our recommendations emphasize a

balanced eating pattern that includes

a wide variety of fresh, minimally

processed whole foods. Our approach

is to empower and teach adolescents

to take responsibility for planning,

preparing, and providing themselves

consistent access to foods and fluids

that deliver nutrients needed for proper

fueling and recovery. Specific talking

points that health professionals can use

in brief interactions with patients and

families are provided to endorse key

behavioral strategies that young athletes

can adopt to achieve peak athletic

performance and optimal nutritional

status.

Keywords: nutrition; adolescent;

sports; RED-S; disordered eating

Sports Nutrition for

Adolescents

Nutrition advice for adolescent athletes

has, at its foundation, the principles of

sound nutrition focused on adequacy to

support the adolescent’s needs for

growth and development in addition to

increased needs for training and

performance in sport. This advice is

built on the US Dietary Guidelines,1

which promote a nutritionally balanced

eating pattern containing a daily variety

of nutrient-dense foods. Before bringing

sport-specific advice into the

conversation, the building blocks of

healthy eating and nutritional adequacy

must be in place. Although athletes

certainly have enhanced and often

unique nutritional needs that are

specific to their sport and their training

regimens, proper nutrition to support

adolescent growth is necessary at the

core of any strategy to improve sports

performance. Because of their distinct

needs and transitional life stage,

adolescent athletes are vulnerable to

nutritional risk, fad diets, disordered

598530AJLXXX10.1177/1559827615598530American Journal of Lifestyle MedicineAmerican Journal of Lifestyle Medicine

research-articleXXXX

Sports Nutrition Advice for

Adolescent Athletes: A Time to

Focus on Food

Before bringing sport-speciﬁc advice

into the conversation, the building

blocks of healthy eating and

nutritional adequacy must be in

place.

DOI: 10.1177/1559827615598530. Manuscript received July 1, 2015; accepted July 6, 2015. From Miami Dolphins, Miami, Florida (MEB); University of New Hampshire,

Durham, New Hampshire (ME Borkan); and the Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (PAQ). Address correspondence to: Paula A.

Quatromoni, DSc, RD, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215; e-mail: paulaq@bu.edu.

For reprints and permissions queries, please visit SAGE’s Web site at http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav.

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vol. 9 • no. 6 American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine

eating, and marketing scams for

nutritional products that promise fast

results or improved performance despite

the lack of an evidence base behind

most claims.

For athletes, there are no shortcuts or

substitutes for proper nutrition for

optimal performance in sport.

Supplements and functional foods will

never overcome the deficits of poor

nutrition for an athlete. The needs of

adolescent athletes are different from the

needs of adults and professional athletes,

and the needs of competitive athletes are

different from those of recreational

athletes. Athletes in power sports have

needs that are different from those in

endurance sports and from those of

sprinters. Even within a sport, field

players have different needs from

goalies, and swimmers have different

needs from divers.2,3 Delving into these

sport-specific nuances is beyond the

scope of this review, but there are

several books written by registered

dietitians (RDs) to guide athletes and

practitioners more specifically.4-8

Nonetheless, the common goal for every

athlete is to achieve healthy eating

behaviors centered on nutrient-dense

and varied food choices, adequate

hydration, dietary patterns that feature

balanced meals and snacks to properly

fuel training and competition and to

enhance recovery, and intuitive eating

behaviors that connect mind, body, and

performance for the most successful

outcomes.

Whereas functional foods or

nutritional supplements may be

indicated for certain individuals under

certain circumstances and under the

supervision of a RD and/or physician,

they do not form the basis of sports

nutrition, and they are not generally

recommended for adolescent athletes.9-13

A diet based on fresh and minimally

processed whole foods is what is

advocated by professional organizations,

including the Academy of Nutrition and

Dietetics and the American College of

Sports Medicine.10-12 For athletes whose

goals include weight management or

altering body composition to either

build muscle mass or lose body fat or

for athletes who have developed

disordered eating or clinical eating

disorders, referral to an RD is

recommended. In all cases, we

specifically recommend a nondiet

approach to sports nutrition14 that is

weight neutral and centered on

respecting body shape and size

diversity,15 promoting a holistic

approach to achieve wellness and

athletic goals, and that is grounded in

eating competence16 and intuitive,

mindful eating.17,18

Healthy Eating Advice

for Adolescent Athletes

The nutritional well-being of athletes

depends on knowledgeable food

choices. In fact, because of their special

needs for proper fueling and hydration,

athletes are faced with several

opportunities demanding well-informed

food choices every day, at every meal.

Yet many adolescent athletes pay little

attention to nutrition and largely

underappreciate their protein and

calorie needs, whereas others are

influenced by dieting advice, functional

foods/supplements marketed to athletes,

and the desire to achieve either a

competitive edge or an idealized athletic

body type. With the help of a qualified

sports nutritionist, athletes can learn to

meet their nutritional needs with a

flexible eating style that balances

favorite foods with nutrient-rich foods to

satisfy hunger, fuel workouts, maximize

performance, and promote both

physical health and emotional wellness.

Athletes need a varied and balanced

eating plan that is adequate in energy,

macronutrients, essential fatty acids, fiber,

vitamins, and minerals. Although there are

professional recommendations that guide

the appropriate selection of foods and

fluids for athletes, the timing of nutrient

and fluid intake relative to exercise and

competition, and supplement choices for

optimal health and sports

performance,10-12 the underlying principles

of sound nutrition for health promotion in

the general adolescent population form

the foundation of dietary advice for those

who participate in sports. The eating

pattern that is recommended is one that

allows growth, development, and

maturation of youths and adolescents19,20

and maintenance of a healthy body

weight.10-12 These nutritional goals can be

met by including a predominance of plant

foods in the daily diet, specifically fruits,

vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts,

seeds and unsaturated vegetable oils;

inclusion of lean animal proteins,

specifically low-fat dairy foods that

provide vitamin D and calcium, fish,

poultry, and iron-rich lean meats; and

moderation of foods high in saturated or

trans fats, sodium, and added sugars. In

general, no vitamin and mineral

supplements are required if an athlete is

meeting energy needs by eating a

balanced diet containing a variety of

whole foods and is maintaining body

weight.9-13

To meet such high nutritional needs,

athletes need to fuel their bodies

frequently throughout the day. This

involves a daily commitment to 3 meals

and frequent snacks strategically

placed before and after workouts,

practice, and competition. This level of

commitment requires adolescent

athletes to prioritize nutrition and

feeding themselves, taking personal

responsibility for ensuring ready access

to nutritious foods, snacks, and fluids.

Selection of foods that are nutrient

dense, easily digested, and well

tolerated are equally high priorities.

Nutritional Risk in

Adolescent Athletes

Athletes participating in different sports

have unique nutritional needs because of

differences in energy expenditure,

hydration, and the demands of the sport.

Challenges and obstacles to good

nutrition are also distinct within

subgroups of athletes. Eating behavior is

highly personal, yet heavily influenced

by environment and important others,

including peers, teammates, professional

athletes, coaches, celebrities, and the

media. As such, unhealthy behaviors and

nutrition misinformation can set an

athlete on a path that could undermine

athletic performance, contribute to sports

injuries, and have serious health

consequences. These circumstances

introduce vulnerability to nutritional risk

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Nov • Dec 2015American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine

that spans a spectrum and can include

dieting, restrictive eating, disordered

eating (anorexia nervosa, bulimia

nervosa, binge eating disorder, anorexia

athletica, and orthorexia nervosa),

misuse of nutritional supplements,

“uninformed” vegetarianism, and a

variety of unhealthy weight-cutting

practices that can sabotage athletic

performance.

Adolescent athletes are quite vulnerable

to the ill effects of suboptimal nutrition.

Not only is their performance in sport

threatened, but their growth,

development, and maturation can be

impaired by poor nutrition. Among the

special issues that physicians caring for

adolescent athletes are urged to address

are nutritional needs and supplement

use. While focusing on achieving healthy

body weights and avoiding use of

supplements and ergogenic aids, a 2008

consensus statement for team physicians

made a clear recommendation to

emphasize health and performance over

weight goals and to understand the

impact of pathological weight behaviors

on adolescent growth and development.13

Three major concerns are iron

deficiency anemia, compromised bone

health, and disordered eating/eating

disorders. A well-described combination

of risk factors known as the female

athlete triad consists of inadequate food

intake, amenorrhea, and reduced bone

mineral density.21,22 This triad poses a

specific threat to athletes in both the

short and long term because the

opportunity to reach peak bone mass

can be negatively affected by poor

nutrition during adolescence. In an

updated definition acknowledging that

male athletes are similarly affected, the

triad was described as one piece of a

more comprehensive syndrome called

RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in

Sport). RED-S consists of “impaired

physiological function including, but not

limited to, metabolic rate, menstrual

function (in females), bone health,

immunity, protein synthesis, and

cardiovascular health caused by relative

energy deficiency” (p. 491) where an

imbalance occurs between dietary

energy intake and energy expenditure

required to sustain homeostasis, health

and activities of daily living, growth,

and supporting activities.23 The resulting

package of low energy availability,

disordered eating behavior, and

pathological weight control measures

that may include starvation, excessive

exercising, purging, or laxative abuse,

often driven by body image

dysmorphia, results in hormonal and

metabolic imbalances, serious medical

complications, sports injuries, and

impaired athletic performance.24

Adolescent athletes are vulnerable to

the pressures of competitive sports and

the demands of physical training on

their still-developing bodies as well as

the influence of coaches, teammates,

peers, parents, society, culture, and the

media. There is tremendous pressure,

for example, exerted by society and the

media that idolizes thinness and an

ideal body image—one that is far

different from the average adolescent

athlete’s body size or shape. This is not

only an issue for female athletes who

perceive the need to diet, but also for

male athletes who are faced with the

challenge of developing “abs of steel.”

Adolescents do not necessarily have

the nutrition knowledge to practice

sports nutrition, nor do coaches who

most typically coach at the middle

school or high school level. Taken

together, there is tremendous potential

for misinformation and pressure for

dieting behavior or supplement use.

The risk for disordered eating and

eating disorders is high in the

adolescent athlete population.25,26

Role of Physicians

and Other Health

Professionals

For nutrition advice to be adopted and

sustained by adolescents, it must be food

based, practical, achievable, and

personally relevant. Yet sports nutrition

guidelines are oftentimes nutrient based,

framed in technical terms involving

mathematical equations, and highly sport

specific, leaving athletes confused and

misinformed, unable to translate the

advice to their own personal needs and

vulnerable to adverse outcomes. The role

of the nutrition professional in sport is to

successfully translate these guidelines

from nutrients to foods, and from science

to practice.

Recognizing nutritional risk and

making referrals to RDs is essential for

those in need of nutrition assessment

and counseling. This task is a priority for

physicians and other health

professionals who work with adolescent

athletes. In addition, having proactive

conversations with youths and families

to share evidence-based advice about

healthy eating is a strategy that can

promote wellness, prevent injury, and

help athletes achieve their goals in sport.

Appropriate messages that physicians

and other health professionals can

convey in brief interactions to endorse

healthy habits for adolescent athletes are

summarized below. In general, strategies

that promote positive and empowering

messages that encourage adolescents to

take responsibility for feeding

themselves and to focus on foods to

include to maximize nutrition, rather

than focusing on foods to restrict or

avoid, are recommended.

Fill your plate with fresh food:

Reflect on your food choices and

consider how many of the things

you eat come from packages that

you simply tear open and eat, or

heat and eat. For good health

and sports performance, it is time

to shift the balance to include

real foods like fresh fruits, fresh

vegetables, nuts, beans, dairy,

lean meats, chicken and fish, and

minimally processed whole grain

foods in your daily diet. Fuel

your body with food, not with

supplements and energy drinks

or other sports products that

masquerade as food.

Eat to compete: Athletes need to eat

breakfast, lunch, and dinner with

snacks in between to be properly

fueled for performance. Skipping

meals is not a strategy for success.

Break your overnight fast

(“breakfast”) with a balanced

meal. Follow this simple meal-

building strategy to create

balanced meals including these

key components:

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Reload for rapid recovery: Exercise

creates muscle breakdown, so it is

important to refuel your body

within 30 minutes after practice or

a competition to promote muscle

repair. Best choices for recovery

nutrition are those that provide a

combination of fluid, electrolytes,

carbohydrates, and protein. Try

chocolate milk or yogurt, a mini

bagel with peanut butter and an

apple, or homemade trail mix of

nuts, dried fruit, and whole grain

cereal along with recovery fluids.

Hydrate: Under most circumstances,

water is the only sports hydration

you need, especially if you are

fueling yourself by eating a variety

of healthy foods throughout the

day.

Color your plate: Different-colored

foods have different nutrients.

Getting several colors onto your

plate at every meal or snack

delivers more nutrition to your

body. Do not just “eat white” by

loading your plate with white rice,

chicken, and cheese. Add color by

adding tomato salsa, black or

brown beans, and grilled

vegetables like peppers and

onions.

Plan ahead: Good nutrition does not

just happen. It involves some

work and advance planning. It

requires access to healthy choices

and hydration. Just like you pack

up your sports gear, pack snacks

like fruit, string cheese, whole

grain crackers, nuts, or granola

bars into your bag for long bus

rides so you do not miss the

recovery nutrition window

needed to fuel your body after

the game.

Change it up: Peak performance

requires athletes to be well

nourished, uninjured, fit, focused,

and ready to compete. Sports

nutrition is not just about calories

to achieve weight or body

composition goals; nor is it all

about protein for muscles or

carbohydrates for fuel. It is also

about micronutrients like iron to

avoid anemia, calcium and vitamin

D for bone health, and other

vitamins, minerals, and

antioxidants for wellness,

immunity, and recovery from

injury or surgery. Eating an

adequate variety of nutritious

whole foods is your best strategy

to achieve these goals.

Ask for help: Disordered eating and

eating disorders are more common

than you might think.

Furthermore, amenorrhea in

female athletes is not normal and

is one of several clues, along with

weight loss or underweight status,

that food intake is insufficient

compared to the energy demands

of training for sport on top of

adolescent growth needs. It is

important to address these

warning signs of nutritional risk,

and help is available to get you

back on track. If you are having

difficulty feeding yourself or

maintaining weight in a healthy

range, seek help from a physician,

qualified health professional, and/

or registered dietitian.

AJLM

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A Strengths-Based Approach to Increasing Nutrition Knowledge in Student-Athletes: The ‘Eat 2 Win’ Pilot Program

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Jul 2023
SPORTS MED

The increase in the economic value of soccer occurred in parallel with an increase in competing demands. Therefore, clubs and federations evolved to greater specialization (e.g., state-of-the-art facilities and high-profile expertise staff) to support players’ performance and health. Currently, player preparation is far from exclusively club or national team centered, and the lack of control in each player’s environment can be more prevalent than expected. For example, an elite group of professional players faces disruptions in the season club-oriented planification due to involvement in national teams. Moreover, as elite players’ financial resources grow, it is common for them to employ specialized personal staff (e.g., strength and conditioning, nutritionist, and sports psychologist) to assist in their preparation, resulting in complex three-fold relationships (i.e., club, player’s staff, national team). Although efforts have been made to improve communication with and transition from the club to the national team supervision, this new reality (club-players’ staff) may generate serious compound role-related problems and difficulties in monitoring load and training adaptation and having a unified message. Therefore, efforts must be implemented to ensure a more informed management of the players’ performance environment, where the existence and impact of these various personal staff are considered to avoid a long-term non-zero sum for all intervening parties. If left unchecked, current professional thinking may collide or overlap, potentially triggering conflict escalation and impairing athletic performance or health, especially if effective communication routes are not adequately established. Moreover, diluted personal responsibility regarding performance may ensue, resulting in decreased productivity from all involved, which may cause more harm than benefits for the player’s overall health and performance. This emerging reality calls for developing a joint working framework (i.e., between the player’s personalized support team and the clubs’ team) and better managing of a player-centered process.

Widespread Supplement Intake and Use of Poor Quality Information in Elite Adolescent Swiss Athletes

Article

Sep 2021

Compared with adult athletes, rather little is known about supplementation behavior in adolescent athletes. This study’s aim was to determine elite adolescent athletes’ supplement use and sources of information relating thereto. A total of 430 (87%) of 496 questioned athletes returned the anonymized questionnaire. Thereof, 84% consumed at least one weekly supplement and 97% indicated some supplement intake during the previous 4 weeks. On average, 13.3 supplement servings were consumed per week. The 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile was 4.5, 10.5, and 20.0 servings per week, with a maximum of 67. The most prevalent supplements in use were multimineral products (41% of all athletes), multivitamins (34%), Vitamin C (34%), and Vitamin D (33%). Male athletes consumed significantly more Vitamin C and D, sports drinks, protein powder, and recovery products compared with female athletes; whereas, women consumed more iron supplements. The three most important motives for supplement use were recovery support (40%), health maintenance (39%), and performance enhancement (30%). The most frequent answers to the question “who recommended that you use supplements” were family/friends (36%), a physician (27%), and a trainer/coach (25%). The main three information sources about the supplements in use were the persons who recommended the supplementation (56%), the internet (25%), and information provided by supplement suppliers (11%). A positive doping attitude was associated with the consumption of performance enhancing supplements ( p = .017). In conclusion, this study among elite adolescent Swiss athletes indicates a widespread and large-scale use of dietary supplements, which was associated with a low level of information quality.

Evaluation of dietary intake of the School of Sports Championship students

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2024

Introduction and purpose: Nutrition plays an important role in the lives of young athletes. A well-balanced diet is crucial not only for their sports performance, but also for their proper growth and optimal health. The aim of this study is to evaluate the dietary intake of the School of Sports Championship students. A brief description of the state of knowledge: When compared to the nutritional needs of regular teenagers, young athletes have higher caloric requirements. They need to follow precise meal scheduling, must maintain proper hydration, and sometimes need to use dietary supplements. Moreover, adolescent athletes, especially females, have a higher risk of athlete triad, anemia, or eating disorders. In addition, young athletes seem to be unaware of the importance of their diet and how it directly affects their overall health and athletic performance. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that the dietary choices of young athletes significantly affect their sports performance. We found a correlations between the duration of trainings and the intake of sequentially: protein, fiber, and vitamin D. Also, we discovered that female athletes consume less vitamin D and iron compared to male athletes, which may lead to a dangerous health implications, including anemia or the female athlete triad. However, there is a need for more prospective randomized clinical trials conducted on a larger sample size to reach final conclusions.

Weight Pressures and Eating Disorder Symptoms among Adolescent Female Gymnasts of Different Performance Levels in Greece

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2022

This study examined the weight pressures within the gymnastics environment and explored associations between these pressures and eating disorder (ED) symptoms in adolescent female gymnasts. One hundred and forty-seven competitive gymnasts and 122 recreational-level gymnasts (11–17 years old) completed the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Weight-Pressures in Sport-Females (WPS-F), the Social Desirability Scale (SDS) and provided information on their training. It was found that 16.3% of competitive gymnasts and 7.4% of non-competitive gymnasts scored ≥20 in EAT-26, indicating disordered eating behavior. Competitive gymnasts scored higher than non-competitive in the total score of EAT-26 (p = 0.027), as well as in the total score of WPS-F, the sport and coaches weight pressures sub-scale and the appearance and performance weight pressures sub-scale (p < 0.001). Multiple regression analyses indicated that sport and coaches weight pressures, appearance and performance weight pressures and body mass index accounted for 30.3% of the variance of EAT-26 in competitive gymnasts, while the appearance and performance weight pressures sub-scale accounted for 16.3% of the variance of EAT-26 in non-competitive gymnasts. Sport and coaches weight pressures are associated with ED in competitive gymnasts, while body appearance and performance demands correlate with ED in female gymnasts irrespective of competitive level.

Program asuhan gizi olahraga (PAGO) atlet sepatu roda sebagai strategi memperbaiki profil status gizi, biokimia dan kualitas asupan

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2021

Penelitian bertujuan menganalisis pengaruh pemberian intervensi gizi berupa edukasi dan konseling gizi pada atlet sepatu roda remaja terhadap status gizi, status hidrasi, status biokimia, dan asupan gizi. Penelitian one group pre and post test design yang melibatkan 11 atlet di Klub Sepatu Roda Kairos Semarang. Variabel terikat adalah profil antropometri (berat badan, tinggi badan, fat mass, massa otot, body water), status hidrasi, status biokimia (kadar gula darah puasa, asam urat, kolesterol, hemoglobin), dan asupan makan. Uji Wilcoxon digunakan untuk menganalisis perbedaan profi antropometri, status hidrasi, status biokimia, dan asupan makan subjek antara sebelum dan sesudah intervensi. Terdapat perbedaan yang signifikan pada berat badan (p=0,029), fat mass (p=0,003), status hidrasi subjek sebelum latihan (p=0,026), kadar gula darah (p=0,005), kadar hemoglobin (p=0,007), asupan karbohidrat (p=0,029) dan asupan seng (p=0,049) sebelum dan setelah intervensi. Program Asuhan Gizi Olahraga (PAGO) pada atlet sepatu roda terbukti berdampak pada perbaikan beberapa profil antropometri, status biokimia, dan asupan makan. Program for inline skating athletes as strategies to improve the profile of nutritional status, biochemistry and quality of food intakeAbstract: This study aims to determine the effect of nutrition intervention in the form of nutrition education and counseling for adolescent inline skating athletes on nutritional status, hydration status, biochemical status, and nutritional intake. Methods: One group pre and post test design research on 11 athletes at the Kairos Wheeled Shoes Club Semarang. The dependent variables were anthropometric profiles (body weight, height, fat mass, muscle mass, body water), hydration status, biochemical status (fasting blood sugar levels, uric acid, cholesterol, hemoglobin), and food intake. The Wilcoxon test was used to analyze differences in anthropometric profile, hydration status, biochemical status, and food intake of subjects between before and after the intervention, Results: There was a significant difference in body weight (p = 0.029), fat mass (p = 0.003), hydration status subjects before exercise (p = 0.026), blood sugar levels (p = 0.005), hemoglobin levels (p = 0.007), carbohydrate intake (p = 0.029) and zinc intake (p = 0.049) before and after the intervention. Sports Nutrition Care Programme to inline skates athletes is proven to have an impact on anthropometric profile, biochemical status, and intake.

Harmony in Motion: Unraveling the Nexus of Sports, Plant-Based Nutrition, and Antioxidants for Peak Performance

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2024

The intricate interplay between plant-based nutrition, antioxidants, and their impact on athletic performance forms the cornerstone of this comprehensive review. Emphasizing the pivotal importance of dietary choices in the realm of sports, this paper sets the stage for an in-depth exploration of how stress and physical performance are interconnected through the lens of nutrition. The increasing interest among athletes in plant-based diets presents an opportunity with benefits for health, performance, and recovery. It is essential to investigate the connection between sports, plants, and antioxidants. Highlighting the impact of nutrition on recovery and well-being, this review emphasizes how antioxidants can help mitigate oxidative stress. Furthermore, it discusses the growing popularity of plant-based diets among athletes. It elaborates on the importance of antioxidants in combating radicals addressing stress levels while promoting cellular health. By identifying rich foods, it emphasizes the role of a balanced diet in ensuring sufficient intake of these beneficial compounds. Examining stress within the context of sports activities, this review provides insights into its mechanisms and its impact on athletic performance as well as recovery processes. This study explores the impact of plant-based diets on athletes including their types, potential advantages and challenges. It also addresses the drawbacks of relying on plant-based diets, concerns related to antioxidant supplementation and identifies areas where further research is needed. Furthermore, the review suggests directions for research and potential innovations in sports nutrition. Ultimately it brings together the aspects of sports, plant-based nutrition, and antioxidants to provide a perspective for athletes, researchers and practitioners. By consolidating existing knowledge, it offers insights that can pave the way for advancements in the ever-evolving field of sports nutrition.

Eating Disorders

Chapter

Sep 2018

Effects of ergogenic supplements and dietary supplements on young athletes’ performance: A review

Article

Full-text available

May 2022

Physical exercise is becoming more prevalent in today’s lifestyle and makes physically fit, and promotes different types of development or skills. Athletes rely on sports nutrition supplements: ergogenic and dietary supplements; these supplements fulfill the nutritional requirements, save time and achieve health goals. Many athletes don't have sufficient knowledge related to the safety of using ergogenic supplements. There are various ergogenic supplements used by athletes but excess of these supplements has been linked to major health problems. Dietary supplements are more nutritious and safer than ergogenic supplements. They are not a prescription medicine and to cure illnesses of the athletes.

Nutritional Recommendations for Divers

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2014

Competitive diving involves grace, power, balance, and flexibility, which all require satisfying daily energy and nutrient needs. Divers are short, well muscled and lean, giving them a distinct biomechanical advantage. Although little diving-specific nutrition research on performance and health outcomes exist, there is concern that divers are excessively focused on body weight and composition, which may result in reduced dietary intake to achieve desired physique goals. This will result in low energy availability, which may negatively impact their power-to-weight ratio and health risks. There is increasing evidence that restrictive dietary practices leading to low energy availability also result in micronutrient deficiencies, premature fatigue, frequent injuries, and poor athletic performance. Based on daily training demands, estimated energy requirements for male and female divers are 3500 kcal and 2650 kcal, respectively. Divers should consume a diet that provides 3-8 g/kg/day of carbohydrate, with the higher values accommodating growth and development. Total daily protein intake (1.2 to 1.7 g/kg) should be spread evenly throughout the day in 20 to 30g amounts and timed appropriately following training sessions. Divers should consume nutrient dense foods and fluids and, with medical supervision, certain dietary supplements (i.e. calcium and iron) may be advisable. While sweat loss during indoor training is relatively low, divers should follow appropriate fluid intake strategies to accommodate anticipated sweat losses in hot and humid outdoor settings. A multi-disciplinary sports medicine team should be integral to the daily training environment and suitable foods and fluids should be made available during prolonged practices and competitions.

Nutrition for Swimming

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2014

Swimming is a sport that requires considerable training commitment to reach individual performance goals. Nutrition requirements are specific to the macro-cycle, micro-cycle and individual session. Swimmers should ensure suitable energy availability to support training while maintaining long term health. Carbohydrate intake, both over the day and in relation to a workout should be manipulated (3-10g/kg BM/d) according to the fuel demands of training and the varying importance of undertaking these sessions with high carbohydrate availability. Swimmers should aim to consume 0.3g/kg BM of high biological value protein immediately after key sessions and at regular intervals throughout the day to promote tissue adaptation. A mixed diet consisting of a variety of nutrient-dense food choices should be sufficient to meet the micronutrient requirements of most swimmers. Specific dietary supplements may prove beneficial to swimmers in unique situations, but should only be trialled with the support of trained professionals. All swimmers, particularly adolescent and youth swimmers, are encouraged to focus on a well-planned diet to maximise training performance, ensuring sufficient energy availability especially during periods of growth and development. Swimmers are encouraged to avoid rapid weight fluctuations; rather optimal body composition should be achieved over longer periods by modest dietary modifications that improve their food choices. During periods of reduced energy expenditure (taper, injury, off season) swimmers are encouraged to match energy intake to requirement. Swimmers undertaking demanding competition programs should ensure suitable recovery practices are employed to maintain adequate glycogen stores over the entirety of the competition period.

Sports Dietitians Australia Position Statement: Sports Nutrition for the Adolescent Athlete

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2014
INT J SPORT NUTR EXE

It is the position of Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA) that adolescent athletes have unique nutritional requirements as a consequence of undertaking daily training and competition in addition to the demands of growth and development. As such, SDA established an expert multidisciplinary panel to undertake an independent review of the relevant scientific evidence and consulted with its professional members to develop sports nutrition recommendations for active and competitive adolescent athletes. The position of SDA is that dietary education and recommendations for these adolescent athletes should reinforce eating for long term health. More specifically, the adolescent athlete should be encouraged to moderate eating patterns to reflect daily exercise demands and provide a regular spread of high quality carbohydrate and protein sources over the day, especially in the period immediately after training. SDA recommends that consideration also be given to the dietary calcium, Vitamin D and iron intake of adolescent athletes due to the elevated risk of deficiency of these nutrients. In order to maintain optimal hydration, adolescent athletes should have access to fluids that are clean, cool and supplied in sufficient quantities before, during and after participation in sport. Finally, it is the position of SDA that use of nutrient needs should be met by core foods rather than supplements, as the recommendation of dietary supplements to developing athletes over-emphasises their ability to manipulate performance in comparison to other training and dietary strategies.

The IOC consensus statement: beyond the Female Athlete Triad-Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED- S)

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2014
BRIT J SPORT MED

Protecting the health of the athlete is a goal of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC convened an expert panel to update the 2005 IOC Consensus Statement on the Female Athlete Triad. This Consensus Statement replaces the previous and provides guidelines to guide risk assessment, treatment and return-to-play decisions. The IOC expert working group introduces a broader, more comprehensive term for the condition previously known as 'Female Athlete Triad'. The term 'Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport' (RED-S), points to the complexity involved and the fact that male athletes are also affected. The syndrome of RED-S refers to impaired physiological function including, but not limited to, metabolic rate, menstrual function, bone health, immunity, protein synthesis, cardiovascular health caused by relative energy deficiency. The cause of this syndrome is energy deficiency relative to the balance between dietary energy intake and energy expenditure required for health and activities of daily living, growth and sporting activities. Psychological consequences can either precede RED-S or be the result of RED-S. The clinical phenomenon is not a 'triad' of the three entities of energy availability, menstrual function and bone health, but rather a syndrome that affects many aspects of physiological function, health and athletic performance. This Consensus Statement also recommends practical clinical models for the management of affected athletes. The 'Sport Risk Assessment and Return to Play Model' categorises the syndrome into three groups and translates these classifications into clinical recommendations.

Endurance Sports Nutrition

Book

Jan 2014

Suzanne Girard Eberle

Endurance Sports Nutrition will guide you in selecting the optimal foods, drinks, and supplements so you can train longer, recover more quickly, avoid injuries, and achieve your performance goals in any endurance endeavor. Sports dietitian and former elite runner Suzanne Girard Eberle presents a fueling program that addresses the unique concerns of endurance athletes: Road and trail running, from 5K to 100+ miles Cycling and mountain biking, from time trials to multiday rides Duathlon and triathlon, from sprint to Ironman Winter sports, from Nordic ski races to mountain ascents Water sports, including rowing and open-water swimming Environmental conditions, including extreme temperatures and high altitude The third edition includes meal planning recommendations for vegetarian athletes and those with food allergies and intolerances as well as profiles, advice from elite endurance athletes, and strategies for avoiding the most common pitfalls of training. Endurance Sports Nutrition will fuel your best performance.

Article

Mar 2011

The purpose of this study was to identify factors related to the onset of eating disorders in female athletes. Participants were 17 collegiate female athletes (mean age of 20.7) who experienced eating disorders. Participants were interviewed individually and responses were coded thematically. Results revealed internal and external factors related to the onset of eating disorders. Internal factors included: Negative Mood States, Low Self Esteem, Perfectionism/Drive for Achievement, and Desire for Control. External factors included: Negative Influences on Self-Esteem, Hurtful Relationships, Hurtful Role Models, and Sport Performance. Findings suggest that many triggers for onset among athletes are similar to those reported among nonathletes. However, results demonstrate that the sport environment has a unique impact on athletes' eating disorder development. In particular, negative comments by coaches, modeling of eating disordered behaviors by other athletes, and sport performance pressure all contributed to eating pathology. Implications and recommendations for the sport community are discussed.

Sports Nutrition Guidebook

Article

Jul 1990

N Clark

Impact of Non-Diet Approaches on Attitudes, Behaviors, and Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Article

Mar 2015
J NUTR EDUC BEHAV

To determine the overall effect of non-diet, weight-neutral interventions on factors such as weight, biochemical measures, food and activity behavior, body image, and mental health. Systematic review of intervention literature. Group classes in community and worksite settings (14 studies), and individual counseling (1) and online education (1) in college settings. Eighteen research articles (representing 16 studies) evaluating non-diet interventions using quasi-experimental and randomized study designs with either a comparison or control group. Anthropometric, physiological, psychological, and dietary intake. Systematic search of 168 articles and review of 18 articles meeting inclusionary criteria. Non-diet interventions resulted in statistically significant improvements in disordered eating patterns, self-esteem, and depression. None of the interventions resulted in significant weight gain or worsening of blood pressure, blood glucose, or cholesterol, and in 2 studies biochemical measures improved significantly compared with the control or diet group. Primary limitations were inconsistent definitions of non-diet approaches and the use of different assessment instruments for measuring outcomes. Because of the long-term ineffectiveness of weight-focused interventions, the psychological improvements seen in weight-neutral, non-diet interventions warrant further investigation. Copyright © 2015 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reflections on Athletes and Eating Disorders

Article

Nov 2014
PSYCHOL SPORT EXERC

Objectives The purposes of this paper were to offer reflections, thoughts, and observations on the burgeoning research regarding eating disorders in athletes over the past 25 years, to comment on the findings and clinical implications of the studies contained in this special issue, and to provide suggestions for future research. Results Disordered eating and eating disorders are complex, multidimensional, and multiply determined, and can affect the health and performance of athletes in both genders and most sports. Although coaches and teammates can be significant sources of weight and body image pressure, they can also play a positive role in identification and prevention. Conclusions Further research is needed in several areas. These include a broader focus that includes athletes believed to be at less risk, most notably males and non-lean sport athletes, and ironically younger athletes, who may be at greatest risk. We also need more research related to treatment of athletes with eating disorders and especially how we might better motivate them for recovery.

SELECTED ISSUES FOR THE ADOLESCENT ATHLETE AND THE TEAM PHYSICIAN: A CONSENSUS STATEMENT

Article