The purpose of this investigation was to assess nutrition knowledge, opinions, and practices of coaches and trainers at a Division I university. Participants (n = 53) completed questionnaires regarding nutrition knowledge, opinions, and practices. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were used to analyze data. Overall, participants responded correctly to 67% of nutrition knowledge questions. Participants who coached/trained female athletes tended to score better than respondents who coached/trained male athletes. Strength and conditioning coaches and participants with greater than 15 years of experience scored higher than other participants. Nutrition opinions/practices responses revealed that nutritional supplements were provided for all but 6% of participants' athletes. Participants rated body weight as more important than body composition to athletes' performances. Over 30% of participants perceived at least one case of disordered eating within the past year. Some participants (53%) felt that athletes may consume more nutritious meals on team-sponsored trips if given larger food allowances. Thirty percent of participants reported dietitians were available to them; the same percentage reported utilizing dietitians. Coaches and trainers are knowledgeable about some appropriate nutritional recommendations, but registered dietitians or qualified sports nutrition professionals may complement the nutrition-related education and counseling of athletes (23).

Twenty-three young adult males were fed diets containing either 400 or 1400 mg of cholesterol per day under controlled conditions for 4 wk. There were minimal differences between the two diets in total protein, carbohydrate, fat, and the P/S fatty acid ratio. In both diets 400 mg of cholesterol was supplied from nonegg food sources; the additional 1000 mg of cholesterol was from four whole eggs. Blood samples were collected after a 12- to 14-h fast at the beginning of the study, weekly throughout the experimental period, and 1 wk after completion of the study. Plasma total cholesterol and triglycerides and high-density, low-density, and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were measured. No significant differences in plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, and lipoprotein cholesterol levels were observed between groups at any time. However, plasma cholesterol and cholesterol content of individual lipoproteins varied considerably among the individual subjects fed the high cholesterol diet. The importance of changes in the properties and metabolic activity of individual lipoproteins induced by dietary cholesterol with or without gross changes in the cholesterol levels remains to be determined.

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The effect of a nutritionally complete liquid-formula diet without soy polysaccharide or with the fiber source at 20, 30, or 40 g/d on mineral retention in young men was examined. Addition of 20 g soy polysaccharide to the liquid formula significantly (p less than 0.05) improved the retentions of copper, iron, zinc, and magnesium over the diet without added fiber. The highest level of soy polysaccharide (40 g/d) resulted in significantly (p less than 0.05) lower Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mg retentions than did the 20-g diet and the 30-g diet had an intermediate effect. Except for slightly negative Cu (-0.1 +/- 0.4 mg) and Fe (-0.6 +/- 3.7 mg) retentions on the 40-g diet, retentions of all minerals remained positive throughout this study. The liquid-formula diet supplemented with 40 g soy polysaccharide could have a deleterious effect on mineral retentions in persons consuming the diet as their sole nutritional source.

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