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Gordon RE, Scrooby B, Havemann-Nel L. Physiological and nutrition-related challenges as perceived by spinal cord-injured endurance hand cyclists. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2024; 49:22-29. [PMID: 37793190 DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2023-0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
This study explored the perceptions of spinal cord-injured (SCI) endurance hand cyclists regarding their physiological and nutrition-related challenges and the perceived impact of these challenges on nutritional intake and exercise capacity. This was an interpretive qualitative descriptive study in which semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 adult South African national-level SCI endurance hand cyclists. Thematic analysis was used to explore perceptions regarding physiological and nutrition-related challenges and the impact thereof on nutritional practices and exercise capacity. Four themes emerged from the interviews: (i) physiological challenges experienced, (ii) nutrition-related challenges experienced, (iii) changes in nutritional practices, and (iv) compromised exercise capacity. The SCI endurance hand cyclists reported a number of physiological and nutrition-related challenges. Bowel and bladder challenges, limited hand function, muscle spasms, thermoregulatory challenges, pressure sores, menstrual periods, and low iron levels/anaemia were perceived to predominantly impact food and fluid intake (restrict intake) and compromise exercise capacity. This information can assist to devise tailored guidelines aimed to optimise fluid intake, overcome bladder challenges and ensure adequate nutritional intake in light of limited hand function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reno Eron Gordon
- Department of Human Nutrition & DieteticsSchool of Health Care Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa 0204, South Africa
- Centre of Excellence for Nutrition (CEN), North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Belinda Scrooby
- School of Nursing Science, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Lize Havemann-Nel
- Centre of Excellence for Nutrition (CEN), North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
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Duarte Junior MA, Enriquez-Martinez OG, Brisola KM, Oliveira J, Molina MDCB, Trakman GL, de Mello MT, Longhi R. Nutritional intake in high-performance para athletes. Nutrition 2023; 116:112168. [PMID: 37562185 DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2023.112168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to describe the eating habits of para-athletes who attended a specialized training center in Brazil. METHODS Participants were recruited from the Sports Training Center at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil. Energy, macronutrient (expressed in absolute terms and relative to body weight), fiber, cholesterol, and micronutrient intakes were assessed via a food frequency questionnaire, based on intakes over the preceding 12 mo. Sociodemographic factors were assessed using a purpose-designed survey, which included self-reported weight and height. Differences in nutrient intake based on sex, age, body mass index, and sporting factors were evaluated. RESULTS A total of 30 para-athletes (in para athletics, para-powerlifting, para-swimming, and para-taekwondo) were included in the study. The median total energy intake was 4089 (2855-5829) kcal. The median consumption of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats was 512.3 (358.7-853.5), 184.5 (118.5-246.4), and 137.1 (96.8-189.5) g/d, respectively. Adolescent athletes had higher protein intakes than adult athletes (P = 0.02). Para-athletes with a longer sports career had lower consumption of fiber (P = 0.01) and thiamine (P = 0.02). Participants with a higher body mass index had higher intake of alcohol (P = 0.04) and monounsaturated fats (P = 0.01). Higher consumption of alcohol was also reported by older para-athletes (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS We identified a higher saturated fat intake in male than in female para-athletes as well as higher protein intake (g/kg) in younger compared with older athletes. In addition, sociodemographic characteristics influenced the dietary intake of some para-athletes, such as length of sports career, age, and income.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Angelo Duarte Junior
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Kênia Mara Brisola
- Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jessé Oliveira
- Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Gina Louise Trakman
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Marco Tulio de Mello
- Center of Psychobiology and Exercise Studies, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rafael Longhi
- Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Hertig-Godeschalk A, Glisic M, Ruettimann B, Valido E, Capossela S, Stoyanov J, Flueck JL. The feasibility of a randomized controlled crossover trial to assess the effect of probiotic and prebiotic supplementation on the health of elite wheelchair athletes. Pilot Feasibility Stud 2023; 9:99. [PMID: 37322538 DOI: 10.1186/s40814-023-01339-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal (GI) problems represent a health burden in Para athletes and can ultimately reduce athletic performance. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a randomized controlled crossover trial (RCCT) assessing the effects of probiotic and prebiotic supplementation on the health of Swiss elite wheelchair athletes. METHODS The RCCT was conducted between March 2021 and October 2021. Athletes were randomized to receive either a daily probiotic (3 g of probiotic preparation, including eight bacterial strains), or a daily prebiotic (5 g of oat bran) supplementation first. After the first supplementation phase (4 weeks), a washout period (4 weeks) and the second crossover supplementation phase (4 weeks) followed. Data were collected at four study visits (every 4 weeks) and included 3-day training and nutrition diaries, the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) questionnaire, stool samples, and fasting blood samples. The study assessed the feasibility criteria such as recruitment rate, retention rate, success of data collection, adherence to the protocol, willingness to participate, and safety. RESULTS This pilot study met the majority of the predefined minimum requirements for the feasibility criteria. Out of 43 invited elite wheelchair athletes, 14 (33%) consented (mean (standard deviation) age: 34 (9) years, eight females, 11 with a spinal cord injury). The desired sample size was not reached, but the achieved recruitment rate was modest, especially considering the population studied. All participating athletes completed the study. With the exception of one missing stool sample and two missing diaries, data were successfully collected for all athletes at all four visits. Most athletes adhered to the daily intake protocol for at least 80% of the days, both for probiotics (n = 12, 86%) and prebiotics (n = 11, 79%). Ten (71%) athletes would be willing to participate in a similar study again. No serious adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION Despite the limited number of elite wheelchair athletes in Switzerland and the modest recruitment rate, the implementation of a RCCT in elite wheelchair athletes is feasible. The data collected in this study provide essential information for the design of the subsequent study which will include a larger cohort of physically active wheelchair users. TRIAL REGISTRATION Swiss Ethics Committee for Northwest/Central Switzerland (EKNZ), 2020-02337). CLINICALTRIALS gov, NCT04659408.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anneke Hertig-Godeschalk
- Institute of Sports Medicine, Swiss Paraplegic Centre Nottwil, Nottwil, Switzerland.
- Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland.
| | - Marija Glisic
- Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Belinda Ruettimann
- Institute of Sports Medicine, Swiss Paraplegic Centre Nottwil, Nottwil, Switzerland
| | - Ezra Valido
- Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland
| | | | - Jivko Stoyanov
- Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Joelle L Flueck
- Institute of Sports Medicine, Swiss Paraplegic Centre Nottwil, Nottwil, Switzerland
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Hertig-Godeschalk A, Ruettimann B, Valido E, Glisic M, Stoyanov J, Flueck JL. Energy Availability and Nutritional Intake during Different Training Phases of Wheelchair Athletes. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15112578. [PMID: 37299541 DOI: 10.3390/nu15112578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Optimizing nutritional intake and timing helps athletes to improve performance and long-term health. Different training phases can require varying nutritional needs. In this study, we conducted a descriptive assessment of dietary intake, energy availability (EA), and blood biochemical parameters in elite wheelchair athletes during distinct training phases. Data analyzed in this study were collected as part of a randomized controlled crossover trial exploring the feasibility of probiotics and prebiotic supplementation. Data were obtained from consecutive three-day diaries and blood samples, both collected at four different time points across four consecutive months. We included 14 athletes (mean (standard deviation) age 34 (9) years, eight females, and six males) active in different wheelchair sports. The mean daily nutritional intake (g/kg body mass) for females and males was 2.7 (0.9) and 4.0 (0.7) for carbohydrates, 1.1 (0.3) and 1.5 (0.3) for protein, and 0.8 (0.3) and 1.4 (0.2) for fat. EA did not change across the four time points in either female (p = 0.30) or male (p = 0.05) athletes. The mean EA was lower in female athletes compared to male athletes (p = 0.03). Low EA (≤30 kcal/ kg fat-free mass/day) was observed in female (58 (29) % of days) and male (34 (23) % of days) athletes. Iron deficiency with anemia was observed in two female athletes. Mean vitamin D levels were insufficient (<75 nmol/L). Macronutrient intake, EA, and blood biochemical parameters were suboptimal in this cohort of elite wheelchair athletes, especially in female athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anneke Hertig-Godeschalk
- Swiss Paraplegic Research, 6207 Nottwil, Switzerland
- Institute of Sports Medicine, Swiss Paraplegic Centre Nottwil, 6207 Nottwil, Switzerland
| | - Belinda Ruettimann
- Institute of Sports Medicine, Swiss Paraplegic Centre Nottwil, 6207 Nottwil, Switzerland
| | - Ezra Valido
- Swiss Paraplegic Research, 6207 Nottwil, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Lucerne, 6002 Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Marija Glisic
- Swiss Paraplegic Research, 6207 Nottwil, Switzerland
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jivko Stoyanov
- Swiss Paraplegic Research, 6207 Nottwil, Switzerland
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Joelle L Flueck
- Institute of Sports Medicine, Swiss Paraplegic Centre Nottwil, 6207 Nottwil, Switzerland
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Gordon RE, Potgieter S, Havemann-Nel L. Nutritional Practices and Body Composition of South African National-Level Spinal Cord-Injured Endurance Hand Cyclists. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14234949. [PMID: 36500978 PMCID: PMC9739327 DOI: 10.3390/nu14234949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutritional practices and body composition of para-athletes can impact their health and athletic performance. There is a paucity of research on the nutritional practices, including dietary and supplement intake, body composition and bone health of spinal cord-injured (SCI) endurance hand cyclists. This study assessed the body composition and dietary and supplement intake of 12 national-level SCI endurance hand cyclists (age: 44.0 ± 9.3 years). Bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed in a sub-sample of participants (n = 4) using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Estimated body fat percentage was healthy (18.4 ± 5.1%) and lumbar spine BMD for the sub-sample was adequate, however hip BMD was low (Z-score and/or T-scores < −2). Carbohydrate intake for male and female participants was below the recommended intake (3.8 (2.9−4.1) and 2.4 (2.0−2.7) g/kg BW, respectively). Overall protein intake was adequate, whilst fat intake was high for both males and females (39.7 (37.7−41.6) and 42.1 (39.0−45.3)% of total energy, respectively). The reported intakes for a few key micronutrients were also below the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) and/or adequate intake (AI) for males (vitamin D, calcium). The prevalence of supplement use before, during, and after training was 40%, 100%, and 60%, respectively. In conclusion, the hand cyclists could benefit from nutritional guidance to match their daily carbohydrate intake with exercise requirements and optimise their fat intake. Optimal vitamin D and calcium intake is also important especially in the light of poor bone health below the lesion level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reno Eron Gordon
- Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0208, South Africa
- Centre of Excellence for Nutrition (CEN), North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +27-125-214-499
| | - Sunita Potgieter
- Division of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
| | - Lize Havemann-Nel
- Centre of Excellence for Nutrition (CEN), North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
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Jacinto M, Monteiro D, Matos R, Antunes R. Gold Medals, Silver Medals, Bronze Medals, and Total Medals: An Analysis of Summer Paralympic Games from 1992 to 2016. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:healthcare10071289. [PMID: 35885815 PMCID: PMC9319078 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10071289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Paralympic Games (PG) are considered one of the biggest events in the world, with increasing coverage by media and participation. The present study aimed to investigate the variation in the number of gold, silver, bronze, and totals medals in the Summer PG from 1992 to 2016. Data related to the results were extracted from the International Paralympic Committee to an SPSS database. Descriptive statistics and Friedman’s two-way analysis of variance by ranks were used to check the differences across medals in seven editions of the Summer PG, with the correspondent effect sizes. There was a peak in the maximum number of any type of medal between the 1996 and 2000 Summer PG and a decrease until 2008. After that, the number of any kind of medals has been increasing again. There were also significant differences with intermediate to large effect sizes when comparing more distant PG with more recent events. Several external factors can influence performance indicators (e.g., the number of medals) in a negative or positive way. An increase in the number of participants and a greater and better investment by the countries may explain part of our results. The preparation of an athlete must be based on a multidisciplinary team, and future organizing countries must take into account reports of previous events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Jacinto
- Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal;
- Life Quality Research Centre (CIEQV), 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal; (D.M.); (R.M.)
| | - Diogo Monteiro
- Life Quality Research Centre (CIEQV), 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal; (D.M.); (R.M.)
- ESECS—Polytechnic of Leiria, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal
- Research Center in Sport Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Rui Matos
- Life Quality Research Centre (CIEQV), 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal; (D.M.); (R.M.)
- ESECS—Polytechnic of Leiria, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal
| | - Raul Antunes
- Life Quality Research Centre (CIEQV), 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal; (D.M.); (R.M.)
- ESECS—Polytechnic of Leiria, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Care and Health Technology (ciTechCare), Polytechnic of Leiria, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-244-829-400
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