No abstract

For an optimal performance, soccer players and referees need to consume a high-quality diet. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) is a tool that can estimate diet quality and has been shown to be associated with body composition. The aims of the present study were first to determine the HEI-2015 score of the diets consumed by athletes and second its association with different body composition parameters of athletes. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 198 soccer players and referees. Dietary intakes were recorded using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and HEI scores were calculated. Body composition parameters were measured using the bioelectrical impedance analysis. The mean score for the HEI-2015 was 65⋅04. A multiple linear regression model showed significant associations of the HEI-2015 score with percent body fat (PBF), percent muscle mass (PMM), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) in male soccer players aged <18 years, body mass index (BMI) in male soccer players aged ≥18 years and BMI and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) in male soccer referees after adjustment for covariates (P < 0⋅05). The mean overall score for the HEI-2015 shows that Iranian soccer players and referees have an acceptable quality of diet. We also found significant associations between the HEI-2015 score and different body composition parameters in male soccer players and referees but we did not find any significant association in female athletes (P > 0⋅05).

To quantify the effects of curcumin supplementation on exercise‐induced muscle damage, muscle soreness, inflammatory biomarkers, muscle strength, and joint flexibility via assessment of creatine kinase (CK), visual analogue scale (VAS) score, maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), and range of motion (ROM), respectively. Online databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus, were searched up to February 2021. RevMan® software (version 5.3) was used for assessing the risk of bias to assess the quality of studies. The mean differences (MD) and confidence intervals (95% CI) of CK activity (IU/L), VAS score, tumor necrosis factor (TNF‐α) (pg/ml), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) (pg/ml), IL‐8 (pg/ml), MVC (nm) and ROM (degree) were pooled using a random‐ or fixed‐effect model. Between‐study heterogeneity was assessed using χ‐square or I2 statistic. Ten trials met the eligibility criteria and were included in the pooled analysis. Meta‐analysis showed that curcumin supplementation significantly reduced serum CK activity [WMD = −65.98 IU/L, 95% CI (−99.53 to −32.44)], muscle soreness [WMD = −0.56, 95% CI (−0.84 to −0.27)], and TNF‐α concentration [WMD = −0.22 pg/ml, 95% CI (−0.33 to −0.10)]. Also, curcumin supplementation elicited significant improvements in MVC [WMD = 3.10 nm, 95% CI (1.45–4.75)] and ROM [WMD = 6.49°, 95% CI (3.91–9.07)], although no significant changes in IL‐6 and IL‐8 levels were found. Dose–response analysis indicated that there is a significant non‐linear association between the daily dose and the final effect size regarding TNF‐α. Curcumin supplementation may improve some aspects of DOMS, including muscle damage, muscle soreness, inflammation, muscle strength, and joint flexibility. Further, well‐designed and high‐quality studies with larger sample sizes are needed to ascertain the long‐term effects and safety of curcumin supplementation.

We evaluated the associations of micronutrient adequacy (measured by the mean adequacy ratio of intakes to nutrient recommendations) and dietary acid load with body composition in 218 football (soccer) players and referees in Iran to provide insights that might help to optimize nutrition and overall performance. Despite the alkaline nature of their diets, there was no association between dietary acid load indices and body composition, and the mean adequacy ratio was positively associated only with percentage body fat (β = .17, P = .01). Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer durations are recommended. Nutr Today. 2021;56(4):209-216 S occer is the world's most popular sport, with more than 200 million people engaged in this sport worldwide. 1,2 Although the players and their mastery of the sport are the primary reasons for soccer's popularity, 3,4 the soccer referees are an inseparable part of this sport. [5][6][7][8] Just as soccer players, referees play a crucial role in the modern game, and the importance of their decisions during match-play can be critical for the final score of the match. Time-motion analysis has revealed that referees, on average, cover around 10 to 12 km during a match, with 4% to 18% of this match-distance covered at speeds faster than 13 to 15 km/h, 9 which is pretty similar to what is observed in midfield players, 4,10 whereas assistant referees cover between 5.8 and 7.3 km, according to the competition level. 11,12 For better performance, both soccer players and referees need adequate nutrition to maintain an excellent body composition. However, previous studies have reported that elite athletes from various countries and from different competitive events are often deficient in their intake of total calories, carbohydrates, protein, and micronutrients. 13 Body composition is one of the most important factors contributing to optimal exercise performance considering that it can affect the athlete's strength, agility, and appearance. 14 For this reason, changes in body composition may affect the performance of athletes.Many micronutrients play key roles in energy metabolism, and during strenuous physical activity, the rate of energy turnover in skeletal muscle may be increased up to 20 to 100 times the resting rate. 15 For example, zinc, 16 potassium, calcium, 17 and sodium are vital for healthy muscle and nerve activity, whereas magnesium 18 is thought to exert a beneficial effect on muscle relaxation and could improve its function. A lack of phosphorus can lead to muscle weakness, 19 whereas selenium deficiency is associated with several muscular diseases. 20 Therefore, it is possible that micronutrient adequacy might affect sports performance.Accumulating evidence shows that the composition of diet through producing acid or base precursors may influence acid-base balance. 21 Dietary acid-base load (DAL) is a balance between acidogenic foods (protein-containing foods) and alkalinogenic foods (fruits and vegetables) that

Background There has been limited research undertaken about the association of dietary insulin load (DIL) and dietary insulin index (DII) with body composition in non-athletic adults, however, to the best of our knowledge No previous study has investigated such an association in an athletic population. Purpose The aim of this study was to explore the association of DII and DIL with body compositions in male and female soccer players and referees. Methods The cross-sectional study was conducted on 199 professional male and female soccer players and referees. A 147-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was adopted to congregate the participants’ dietary data. Body composition was measured using InBody to gain a detailed understanding of fat mass, percent body fat (PBF), lean mass, percent muscle mass (PMM), and bone mineral content (BMC). Waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were obtained from all participants. Other body composition parameters include a body shape index (ABSI), abdominal volume index (AVI), body adiposity index (BAI), body roundness index (BRI), conicity index (CI), weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) and waist-to-hip-to-height ratio (WHHR) were calculated using a particular defined formula. Results Results of multiple linear regression revealed that there is a significant association between DIL and BMI (P = 0.04) in < 18 male soccer players, CI (P = 0.04) and WWI (P = 0.03) in ≥ 18 female soccer players, PBF (P = 0.02), PMM (P = 0.01) and WWI (P = 0.01) in ≥ 18 female soccer players. Nevertheless, no significant associations between DIL and body composition parameters were found in the referees. Additionally, there is a significant association between DII and BMC (P = 0.02) in male soccer referees, however, no significant associations were found in young soccer players and female athletes. Conclusion This study demonstrates that DIL is positively associated with BMI, CI, and WWI in male soccer players and PBF, and WWI in female soccer players. Although, there was an observed negative association between DIL and PMM in females. In addition, a significant negative association between DII and BMC was observed in male soccer players.