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7th EFSMA – European Congress of Sports Medicine, 3rd Central European Congress of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Annual Assembly of the German and the Austrian Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Austrian Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

26.-29.10.2011, Salzburg, Austria

Energy and dietary intakes of young professional football players

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author presenting/speaker Marija Andjelkovic - Sports Medicine Association of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
  • author Ivana Baralic - Institute for Bromatology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
  • author Nenad Radivojevic - Medicine Association of Serbia (Outpatient Clinic Vita Maxima), Belgrade, Serbia
  • author Nenad Dikic - Medicine Association of Serbia (Outpatient Clinic Vita Maxima), Belgrade, Serbia
  • author Brizita Djordjevic - Institute for Bromatology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
  • author Sinisa Vujic - Sports Medicine Association of Serbia (Outpatient Clinic Vita Maxima), Belgrade, Serbia
  • author Milica Vesic - Sports Medicine Association of Serbia (Outpatient Clinic Vita Maxima), Belgrade, Serbia

7th EFSMA – European Congress of Sports Medicine, 3rd Central European Congress of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Salzburg, 26.-29.10.2011. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2011. Doc11esm070

doi: 10.3205/11esm070, urn:nbn:de:0183-11esm0704

Published: October 24, 2011

© 2011 Andjelkovic et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Text

Objective: Adequate dietary habits in endurance and energy demanding sport such as soccer are very important for young athletes since deficiency may delay development and affect performance. Demanding training and busy travel schedules in addition to a possible lack of nutritional knowledge may prohibit them from maintaining an optimal dietary intake. The aim of this study was to investigate the nutritional profile of young high-level football players to establish specific dietary guidelines to enhance their peak athletic performance and overall health.

Material/Methods: Three-day dietary records were analyzed and also the anthropometric measurements were taken at the beginning of competitive season. In this cross-sectional study, with 40 male elite football players, ergospyrometry tests were conducted. Furthermore, lipid, hematological and biochemical parameters were sampled from athletes as well. Dietary and energy intakes with emphasis on macronutrient, micronutrient and fluid values were calculated using COSMED FMed 2.0 software.

Results: Physical characteristics of players with a mean age, height, weight, BMI and F% of 16.7±0.7years, 179.2±6.1cm, 71.5±7.0kg, 22.2±1.5 and 9.33±2.7 reflect that they were homogeneous group. Only F% demonstrate significant difference (p<0.05) for various soccer position in offense. Reported daily energy intake (EI) with meals, mostly taken at home, was 3042.9±905.9.9 kcal which is significant lower (p<0,001) than the EI obtained by the formula. Throughout the recording period carbohydrate intake was 52%±8.2, fat intake was 31.0%±5.5 and proteins were represented with 17%±3.5. Fluid intake of 1782.3±714.7 ml was no optimal and there is doubt that data had been under reported. Intake of vitamins and minerals had variation from DRI (%DRI) for Ca (71.6), Mg (94.8), Fe (134.5), K (71.2), Na (277.6), Vit.C (210.8), Vit.B6 (23.8) and Vit.B12 (61.1). EI was positively correlated with Fe (p<0.01) and Ca (p<0.05) intake. Cholesterol (112.0) and saturated fatty (157.6) intake above DRI suggest about quality of consumed food. Iron deficiency without anemia (11.6±1.5) was found in 22 soccer players. In previous studies this iron deficiency is represented as a factor that can impact on endurance. The ANOVA showed that EI had significant effects on VO2max.

Conclusion: This study reveals differences regarding current opinions about sports nutrition and points the need to increase EI with a higher carbohydrate proportion in football athletes. Inadequate fractional contribution of micro-nutrients and fluid should be adjusted to reach DRI. The nutritional consideration of young male football players should be focus on providing appropriate nutritional information in order to improve the athletes’ diet and, consequently, their health and sports ability.


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