Kenyan athletes have dominated international distance running in recent years. Explanations for their success include favourable physiological characteristics, which could include favourable genetic endowment, and advantageous environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to compare the demographic characteristics of elite Kenyan runners with those of the general Kenyan population. Questionnaires, administered to 404 elite Kenyan runners specializing in distances ranging from the 800 m to the marathon and 87 Kenyan controls, obtained information on place of birth, language, and distance and method of travel to school. Athletes were separated into two groups according to athletic success: those who competed in international competition and those who competed in national competition. The athletes differed from controls in regional distribution, language, and distance and method of travel to school; athletes also differed from each other with the exception of method of travel to school. Most national and international athletes came from the Rift Valley province (controls 20%, national athletes 65%, international athletes 81%), belonged to the Kalenjin ethnic group (controls 8%, national athletes 49%, international athletes 76%) and Nandi sub-tribe (controls 5%, national athletes 25%, international athletes 44%), and spoke languages of Nilotic origin (controls 21%, national athletes 60%, international athletes 79%). A higher proportion of all athletes ran to school each day (controls 22%, national athletes 73%, international athletes 81%) and covered greater distances. In conclusion, Kenyan runners are from a distinctive environmental background in terms of geographical distribution, ethnicity and travelled further to school, mostly by running. These findings highlight the importance of environmental and social factors in the success of Kenyan runners.

Abdominal visceral and subcutaneous fat thickness was higher with urban residency. A high prevalence of overweight and obesity was found. The Maasai had the highest overall fat accumulation.

Previous studies have found Kenyan endurance runners to be in negative energy balance during training and prior to competition. The aim of the present study was to assess energy balance in nine elite Kenyan endurance runners during heavy training. Energy intake and expenditure were determined over 7 d using weighed dietary intake and doubly labelled water, respectively. Athletes were on average in negative energy balance (mean energy intake 13 241 (SD 1330) kJ/d v. mean energy expenditure 14 611 (SD 1043) kJ/d; P¼0·046), although there was no loss in body mass (mean 56·0 (SD 3·4) kg v. 55·7 (SD 3·6) kg; P¼ 0·285). The calculation of underreporting was 13 % (range 2 24 to þ9 %) and almost entirely accounted for by undereating (9 % (range 2 55 to þ 39 %)) as opposed to a lack of significant underrecording (i.e. total water intake was no different from water loss (mean 4·2 (SD 0·6) l/d v. 4·5 (SD 0·8) l/d; P¼0·496)). Fluid intake was modest and consisted mainly of water (0·9 (SD 0·5) l/d) and milky tea (0·9 (SD 0·3) l/d). The diet was high in carbohydrate (67·3 (SD 7·8) %) and sufficient in protein (15·3 (SD 4·0) %) and fat (17·4 (SD 3·9) %). These results confirm previous observations that Kenyan runners are in negative energy balance during periods of intense training. A negative energy balance would result in a reduction in body mass, which, when combined with a high carbohydrate diet, would have the potential in the short term to enhance endurance running performance by reducing the energy cost of running.Energy expenditure: Doubly labelled water: Energy intake: Undereating: Intense high-altitude training: East African endurance athletes Male Kenyan middle-and long-distance runners have dominated athletics since the 1960s, but until recently diet and nutrition in these athletes had not been comprehensively investigated. The diet of nine elite Kenyan endurance runners was investigated over a 7 d training period 1 week before the Kenyan national cross-country trials (Onywera et al. 2004). Energy intake (EI) was assessed by weighed dietary record and was significantly lower than energy expenditure (EE) as assessed by the physical activity ratio (mean EI 12 486 (SD 1225) kJ/d v. physical activity ratio 15 069 (SD 497) kJ/d), suggesting that the athletes were in negative energy balance prior to competition. The mean difference of 2585 kJ/d between EI and EE accounted precisely for the loss in body mass over the 7 d period (mean body mass 58·9 (SD 2·7) kg v. 58·3 (SD 2·6) kg, where 1 kg was assumed to be equivalent to 30 000 kJ; Westerterp et al. 1995).These results corroborated those of an earlier study evaluating the nutrient intake of Kenyan runners (Mukeshi & Thairu, 1993). The reported EI in that study was low (9781 kJ/d), and considering that the athletes were training intensely, the validity of these results was questioned by the authors of the only other study to have assessed the dietary intake of Kenyan runners (Christensen et al. 2002). Those authors studied twelve adolescent (15-20-year-old) male Kenyan r...

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The food and macronutrient intake of elite Kenyan runners was compared to recommendations for endurance athletes. Estimated energy intake (EI: 2987 ± 293 kcal; mean ± standard deviation) was lower than energy expenditure (EE: 3605 ± 119 kcal; P < 0.001) and body mass (BM: 58.9 ± 2.7 kg vs. 58.3 ± 2.6 kg; P < 0.001) was reduced over the 7-d intense training period. Diet was high in carbohydrate (76.5%, 10.4 g/kg BM per day) and low in fat (13.4%). Protein intake (10.1%; 1.3 g/kg BM per day) matched recommendations for protein intake. Fluid intake was modest and mainly in the form of water (1113 ± 269 mL; 0.34 ± 0.16 mL/kcal) and tea (1243 ± 348 mL). Although the diet met most recommendations for endurance athletes for macronutrient intake, it remains to be determined if modifying energy balance and fluid intake will enhance the performance of elite Kenyan runners.