Eating attitudes and food intakes of elite adolescent female figure skaters: a cross sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundElite adolescent female figure skaters compete in an aesthetic-based sport that values thin builds and lithe figures. To conform to the sport’s physical requirements, skaters may alter their eating patterns in unhealthful directions. This study assesses the eating attitudes and dietary intakes of elite adolescent female figure skaters to assess the potential nutritional risks among them.MethodsThirty-six elite competitive adolescent female figure skaters (mean age 16 ± 2.5 SD years) completed self-administered three-day records of dietary intake and simultaneous physical activity records during training season. Two months later, they attended a national training camp during which they completed the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-40), provided fasting blood samples, and had heights and weights measured.ResultsParticipants’ mean body mass index (BMI) was 19.8 ± 2.1 SD. Their BMIs were within the normal range, and the majority (70%) did not report a history of recent weight loss. The mean EAT-40 score was normal (19.5 ± 13.5 SD) and below the cut-off score of 30 that indicates clinically significant eating pathology. However, one-quarter of the skaters had EAT-40 scores above 30. The skaters reported a mean energy intake of 1491 ± 471 SD kcal/day (31 ± 10 SD kcal/kg), with 61.6% of calories from carbohydrate, 14.6% from protein, and 23.7% from fat. Their reported dietary intakes were high in carbohydrates but low in total energy, fat, and bone-building nutrients.ConclusionsAlthough these highly active young women compete in a sport that prizes leanness, they had appropriate weights. The athletes reported dietary intakes that were far below estimated energy needs and were at moderate risk of disordered eating. Anticipatory guidance is warranted to improve their dietary intakes, particularly of bone-building nutrients.

Balanço energético e composição corporal entre atletas escolares

“…Boa parte dos estudos realizados com jovens atletas apresenta resultados que evidenciam um padrão alimentar inadequado e com ingestão energética insuficiente, principalmente quando envolvidos em modalidades relacionadas a um maior controle da massa corporal (31,32) . Entretanto, outros trabalhos trazem resultados distintos, como balanço energético positivo identificado na alimentação de jovens lutadores (33) e em 45% da amostra de tenistas adolescentes (11) .…”

Sports Nutritionists Adopt the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) Road Map to Develop Individualized Meal Planning for Athletes.

“…2 Kulliyyah of Allied Health Sciences, International Islamic University, Malaysia. 3 National Sport Institute, Malaysia. 4…”

“…When athletes do not follow these recommendations, their performance may be affected. Several crosssectional studies on athletes' dietary intake found that most of them did not meet their energy requirements during training and competition (3)(4)(5)(6).…”

Bone Mineral Density and Associated Risk Factors among Female Athletes: A Cross-2 Sectional Study

“…It has been recommended that the energy requirement for active Malaysian females aged between 19 and 29 years old is 2065 kcal/day (NCCFN 2005). However, it was found that female athletes reported energy intake of less than 2000 kcal/day (Dwyer et al 2012;Papadopoulou et al 2012;Shriver et al 2013) which substantially could not support their strenuous activity and nutritional demands (Reed et al 2014). Inadequate energy intake could reduce body weight and body fat of female athletes (Hall et al 2012) leading to reduction of reproductive hormonal secretion especially estrogen which negatively affect bone health (Quah et al 2009;Rauh et al 2010).…”