News from The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the nation’s largest group of food and nutrition professionals. At its annual convention recently in Minneapolis, members presented research findings that you’ll find interesting. A sampling:
• Teenagers (14 to18 years) in the U.S. have the lowest Healthy Eating Index Score (49 out of 100) because of their high intake of sweetened beverages and sweet baked goods. How about suggesting more water, bagels with peanut butter, and bean burritos for easy, low-cost, and better sports-food options?
• Athletes tend to overeat protein. This raises environmental as well as health concerns. Insects are a sustainable source of protein, though they’re viewed commonly as disgusting. The most palatable insect form is powdered (flour). Will rowers one day embrace insect-based protein products? Stay tuned.
• Most female athletes, including those in a study of Division 1 soccer players, tend to eat too little carbohydrate. Analysis of food records from 12 players suggests they ate the recommended amount of fat and protein but consumed too little carbohydrate. Ten of 12 players fell short of the recommended 2.5 to 4.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound per day. (That’s at least 1,200 to 2,150 calories a day from carb-rich grains, fruits, and veggies for a 120-pound player. Athletes could perform so much better if they were to enjoy more carbs.
• The body’s response to sugary foods differs between sedentary and fit people. Exercise enhances the ability of your muscles to take up glucose quickly, offsetting potential “sugar spikes” after consuming high-sugar foods. Blood-sugar management is a good reason to take a walk after enjoying a sweet treat.
• Athletes often complain about intestinal discomfort and GI distress. Gut issues can be triggered by academic, work, and athletic stress, disordered eating, anxiety, and depression. Consulting with a sports dietitian can help athletes reduce, if not resolve, gut issues.
• Rowers with gut issues might benefit from taking digestive enzymes (such as FODZYME, Bean-O, LactAid pills). A study with 96 participants (average age: 57) showed that more than half had a positive response from FODZYME. They reported less abdominal pain, bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea—plus better mental well-being as well as overall quality of life.
• Food allergies, food sensitivities, and/or autoimmune diseases that limit dietary options are challenging for many athletes, particularly those in college. They express frustration, annoyance, isolation, and increased anxiety, especially when dining staff are unable to answer their questions confidently. Their overall college experience gets impacted negatively when they’re excluded from on-campus events that offer free food. It’s common for them to prepare and carry enough food for the entire day, and they face limited options when dining out. Students may worry about getting sick after eating school food, which can lead to class absences, trips to the doctor, and difficulty making up missed assignments. Helping athletes with dietary restrictions is important so they can meet their nutritional needs and experience emotional well-being.
• TikTok can trigger disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Don’t go there! Parents who makes disparaging comments about their bodies can trigger the development of eating disorders in their children. Keep negative body thoughts to yourself!
• A study with 70 females reveals a disconnect between actual and perceived body fatness. Distorted body image—an unrealistic view of oneself—increases the risk of restrictive dieting and starve-binge eating patterns to lose body fat. Athletes, please understand that some body fat is necessary for overall health.
• Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) is a syndrome stemming from chronic consumption of inadequate food to meet daily energy expenditure. This deficit impairs the health and performance of athletes. Athletes with REDs are at increased risk for eating disorders and disordered eating. Coaches, health professionals, and athletes alike need REDs education, particularly in sports settings where REDs signs and symptoms are prevalent. If you work with a team, how about setting up a REDs workshop with your local sports dietitian?
• Female athletes believe society expects them to look feminine and have an ideal body. This unspoken weight bias presents as:
1) negative comments about weight or appearance
2) pressure to conform to certain body standards
3) unequal treatment compared to leaner peers
A survey of normal-weight female athletes reported almost half had experienced weight discrimination. We need to change this mindset so that strong and powerful replaces the quest to be lighter and leaner.
• Many athletes—including rowers—with eating disorders/disordered eating feel ashamed of their dysfunction and fear being stigmatized. Unfortunately, this can hinder willingness to seek help and delay their recovery. Rowers who have overcome food issues, please talk openly about your recovery so those who are struggling can hear your story. You just might make a difference in a teammate’s life.
• Light-colored morning urine signals adequate hydration. Athletes who exercise in tight unis may fear that drinking pre-exercise water will make their stomach stick out. That fear is baseless.
• Although student-athletes generally need sports-nutrition education, they may miss out because of lack of funding. One school solved the problem by partnering with nutrition graduate students who worked together with student-athletes to figure out what topics were of interest. (The winners: basic nutrition, game-day fueling and recovery, sport-supplement benefits and costs, and game-day meal planning.)
They then created a class that met once a week before school (the athletes’ suggestion) for four weeks. The students became empowered with the knowledge, and the graduate students appreciated the real-world teaching experience. Maybe you can make this happen in your town or with your club?
Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D., counsels both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes in the Boston area (Newton; 617-795-1875). Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook is a popular resource, as is her online workshop. For more information, visit NancyClarkRD.com.
The post News from The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics appeared first on Rowing News.