| Popis: |
Nutrition can play a key role in athletic performance. Optimal nutrition can help athletes maintain their overall health and well-being and can contribute to training adaptations, recovery, performance, and injury prevention. Many studies focus on the intakes and importance of macronutrients in athletic performance. However, micronutrient intakes may also play important roles. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the calorie and selected micronutrient intakes of female collegiate student-athletes across a variety of sports. The participants were instructed to complete 3-day food records which were analyzed and compared to their individual nutrition needs. Results of this study indicated that average intakes of all participants for vitamin C (p < 0.0001), vitamin K (p < 0.0008), and calcium (p < 0.0001) were above the recommended intakes. The results also indicated that the average intakes of all participants for calories (p < 0.0001), calcium (p < 0.0001), iron (p < 0.0001), magnesium (p < 0.0001), and potassium (p < 0.0029) were below the recommended intakes. Within team analyses suggested that some teams’ average consumptions for vitamin A and folate were below the recommended intakes. There are several health and athletic related consequences from chronic consumption of calories and the selected micronutrients below the recommended intakes. Recognizing and addressing these inadequate intakes is imperative to help the student-athletes meet their needs through nutrition education, nutrition counseling, funding, and resources. These efforts can help promote the student-athletes’ overall health, well-being, and athletic success. |
