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Special Nutritional Needs and Nutritional Status of Team Sports Athletes

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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Sports Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 September 2024) | Viewed by 10425

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Dariusz Włodarek

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Guest Editor

Department of Dietetics, Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), 159c Nowoursynowska Str., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: sports nutrition; dietary intake; energy expenditure; athletes; performance; diet; team sports; diet therapy; neurodegenerative disease; ketogenic diet

Dr. Hubert Dobrowolski

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Co-Guest Editor

Department of Functional and Organic Food, Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), 159c Nowoursynowska Str., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: sports nutrition; dietary intake; energy expenditure; athletes; hydration; performance; diet; team sports; labeling; food package; organic food; supplements

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A well-balanced diet is one of the key elements supporting physical performance. Meeting the nutritional needs of athletes is crucial during the preparation for exercise and during exercise, as well as during the recovery period. Also, the period of preparation for competition and training, as well as the competition itself, are special periods characterised by specific nutritional needs. Team sports also have their own specificities. Athletes filling different roles on the team may have more or less intense efforts during their sport. Training will also focus on different elements depending on the type of team sport. It is therefore important to study the nutritional status of team athletes, the effect of diet on their physical performance, and to monitor the intake of specific food groups for possible deficiencies and the consequences that follow. This Special Issue aims to bring together papers focusing on the effect of diet on physical activity in team athletes at different periods of the micro- and macrotraining cycle.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

Body composition and anthropometric indices of team athletes, energy expenditure during training and competition, hydration before, during and after exercise, structure of a team athlete's food ration, effect of diet on physical performance, biochemical parameters and physical performance characteristics of athletes, different nutritional needs depending on the moment of the season and the role/position the athlete occupies, the role of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in supporting exercise performance, minerals, vitamins and bioactive compounds in team sports, dietary supplement intake and its potential impact on physical performance and foods for special nutritional use targeted at team sport athletes.

Prof. Dr. Dariusz Włodarek
Dr. Hubert Dobrowolski
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

diet
sports nutrition
team sports
athletes
hydration
energy expenditure
dietary supplements
physical performance

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 311 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Selected Determinants of Diet Health Quality among Female Athletes Practising Team Sports

by Maria Gacek, Agnieszka Wojtowicz and Marlena Banasik

Nutrients 2024, 16(19), 3294; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193294 - 28 Sep 2024

Viewed by 1369

Abstract

This study’s aim was an analysis regarding selected determinants of diet health quality in a group of elite Polish female team sport players. Relationships were assessed between age, sport experience, personal resources and personality traits with regard to the Big Five model and the pro-Health (pHDI-10) and non-Healthy (nHDI-14) Diet Indices. This study was conducted among 181 women (median age—25 years; sport experience—7 years) with the use of the Beliefs and Eating Habits Questionnaire (KomPAN), Generalised Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (MHLC-B) and NEO-PI-R personality inventory. Statistical analysis was carried out via the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Kruskal–Wallis’s ANOVA, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient and forward stepwise regression at a significance level of α = 0.05. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that the value of the pro-Health Diet Index (pHDI-10) was positively explained by professional experience and extraversion, while negatively by openness to experiences (12% of the pHDI-10 variance). In turn, a higher value of the non-Healthy Diet Index (nHDI-14) was associated with the discipline of basketball (2% of the nHDI-14 variance). In summary, the demonstrated diet health quality was low and the predictive significance of competitive experience as well as type of discipline and selected personality traits was exhibited for diet quality among female team sport players. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Special Nutritional Needs and Nutritional Status of Team Sports Athletes)

14 pages, 543 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Nutrition and Performance Parameters in Division 1 Collegiate Athletes

by Marni E. Shoemaker, Nathan D. Dicks, Megan J. Northrup, Seth W. Daughters, Taylor N. Krings and Allison M. Barry

Nutrients 2024, 16(12), 1896; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16121896 - 16 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1753

Abstract

Background: Testing and evaluating athletes is necessary and should include performance, body composition, and nutrition. The purpose of this study was to report assessments of dietary intake,

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O_2max, and body composition in D1 collegiate athletes and examine relationships between [...] Read more.

Background: Testing and evaluating athletes is necessary and should include performance, body composition, and nutrition. The purpose of this study was to report assessments of dietary intake,

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O_2max, and body composition in D1 collegiate athletes and examine relationships between these assessments. Methods: Dietary intake was assessed with 3-day recalls and compared to recommendations, and body composition was assessed via bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) (n = 48).

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O_2max was evaluated using a graded exercise test (GXT) with a verification bout (n = 35). Reliability between “true”

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O_2max and verification was determined. Correlations and regressions were performed. Results: Energy, carbohydrate, and micronutrient intake was lower than recommendations. Mean

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O_2max was 47.3 and 47.4 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ for GXT and verification, respectively. While correlations were apparent among dietary intake,

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O_2max, and body composition, percent fat-free mass (%FFM) predicted 36% of

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O_2max. Conclusions: Collegiate athletes are not meeting energy and carbohydrate recommendations and exceed fat recommendations. Vitamin D and magnesium were low in all sports, and iron and calcium were low in females.

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O_2max ranged from 35.6 to 63.0 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, with females below average and males meeting typical values for their designated sport. Assessing D1 athletes can provide guidance for sports dietitians, coaches, and strength and conditioning specialists to track and monitor nutrition in athletes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Special Nutritional Needs and Nutritional Status of Team Sports Athletes)

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19 pages, 1378 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating Nutrition and Hydration Knowledge and Practice among a Cohort of Age-Grade Rugby Union Players

by Shane Scanlon and Catherine Norton

Nutrients 2024, 16(4), 533; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16040533 - 14 Feb 2024

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3322

Abstract

Optimal athletic performance relies on meeting specific nutritional requirements, encompassing adequate calorie intake, macronutrient intake, and hydration. Misinformation or misconceptions about these necessities are prevalent among young athletes. This study investigated nutrition and hydration knowledge and practices among 28 male rugby union players aged 16 to 17, participating in Munster Rugby’s 2023 Summer Age-Grade Development Programme, specifically the U18′s Schools Squad. The Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire assessed nutrition knowledge, while the Hydration Assessment Questionnaire evaluated hydration knowledge. Urinalysis for hydration status utilised urine specific gravity measurements pre-exercise on five separate days (1.018 ± 0.008 U_sg). Dietary intake was recorded using a 3-day estimated food intake record on the Libro App, analysed with Nutritics software(Version 9.50). Suboptimal nutrition knowledge (49.6 ± 8.2%) and dietary practices were observed, with incongruent nutrient intakes compared to recommendations for adolescent athletes. While superior hydration knowledge (79.0 (77.3, 83.6) %) was evident, pre-exercise urine specific gravity readings indicated significant variation (p < 0.001) and signs of dehydration (USG > 1.020 U_sg). No statistically significant correlations were found between knowledge and practices. The study highlights suboptimal nutrition and hydration knowledge and practices in youth athletes, suggesting the need for tailored support and educational interventions to enhance their overall health and performance. Further investigation into barriers and facilitators to dietary adherence is recommended for more effective interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Special Nutritional Needs and Nutritional Status of Team Sports Athletes)

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Review

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19 pages, 365 KiB

Open AccessReview

Organic Food in Athletes Diet—Narrative Review of Alternative Products in Sports Nutrition

by Hubert Dobrowolski, Klaudia Kopczyńska, Renata Kazimierczak, Ewa Rembiałkowska and Dariusz Włodarek

Nutrients 2024, 16(14), 2347; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16142347 - 20 Jul 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3197

Abstract

Athletes are characterized by special nutritional needs. Meeting their dietary needs associated with intensive exercise is a prerequisite for effective training and success in sports competitions. Hence, it is important to supply key performance nutrients, such as macronutrients, antioxidants, calcium, vitamin D, or iron, in adequate quantities. The increased need for these nutrients makes it necessary to look for food products on the market that more fully cover these needs. Such products may include organic foods. According to research, they have unique properties and are richer in selected nutrients, such as antioxidants. Hence, the aim of this review was to analyze the available literature as to whether organic foods have the potential to more fully cover the increased nutritional requirements of athletes for selected nutrients compared to conventionally produced foods. A narrative review of current literature was carried out. As the analysis showed, organic foods are characterized by a higher content of antioxidant bioactive compounds, a higher content of n-3 fatty acids, a better n:3/n:6 ratio, and a more optimal amino acid composition, which may result in an appropriate dietary ration design for athletes. In conclusion, organic food appears to be an interesting alternative to meet the special nutritional needs of professional and amateur athletes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Special Nutritional Needs and Nutritional Status of Team Sports Athletes)

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