RESEARCH PAPER
Eating habits of young male long-distance runners
1
Zakład Medycyny Sportowej i Żywienia Człowieka, Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego w Krakowie
Corresponding author
Maria Gacek
Zakład Medycyny Sportowej i Żywienia Człowieka, Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego w Krakowie, Al. Jana Pawła II 78, 31-571 Kraków
Zakład Medycyny Sportowej i Żywienia Człowieka, Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego w Krakowie, Al. Jana Pawła II 78, 31-571 Kraków
Med Og Nauk Zdr. 2017;23(1):57-61
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
To evaluate eating habits of long-distance runners practicing sport for recreational purposes or professionally.
Material and Methods:
The research was carried out in a group of 140 young male long-distance runners who practiced sport for recreation (N=90) or professionally (N=50), with the use of an original validated questionnaire concerning the implementation of quality recommendations of the Swiss food pyramid for sports people. The results were analyzed using Chi^2 test from the software package PQStat ver. 1.6. Test probability of p<0.05 was regarded as significant, and p<0.01 and p<0.001, as highly significant.
Results:
Long-distance runners most often declared having a varied diet (90%) and limited consumption of sweet or salty snacks (87.86%) and fast food (83.57%). Moreover, they often preferred drinking water and other unsweetened beverages (77.14%), included cereal products in every meal (73.57%) and avoided sweet fizzy drinks (75.71%) and energy drinks (70.71%). They consumed at least three meals daily (67.14%), and 3–5 portions of fruit and vegetables (66.43%); in addition, they limited the consumption of animal fats (62.86%), and preferred vegetable fats (54.28%). However, the sportsmen consumed whole-grain cereal products (48.57%), vegetables (37.86%), including raw vegetables (42.86%), dairy products (45%) and fish (44.28%) less often than recommended. The study demonstrated that professional runners significantly more often drank water and other unsweetened beverages than those recreational (90.00 vs. 73.33%; p<0.05) and consumed at least two portions of vegetables daily (52.00 vs. 30.00%; p<0.05), and also limited the consumption of animal fats (74.00 vs. 56.67%; p<0.05), sweet fizzy drinks (92.00 vs. 66.67%; p<0.001), energy drinks (90.00 vs. 60.00%; p<0.001) and sweet or salty snacks (98.00 vs. 82.22%; p<0.01).
Conclusions:
The study demonstrated that the implementation of quality recommendations of the Swiss food pyramid for sports people was limited among the study participants, which varied depending on the level of sports activity. Professional long-distance runners displayed healthier eating habits than those who practiced sport for recreational purposes.
To evaluate eating habits of long-distance runners practicing sport for recreational purposes or professionally.
Material and Methods:
The research was carried out in a group of 140 young male long-distance runners who practiced sport for recreation (N=90) or professionally (N=50), with the use of an original validated questionnaire concerning the implementation of quality recommendations of the Swiss food pyramid for sports people. The results were analyzed using Chi^2 test from the software package PQStat ver. 1.6. Test probability of p<0.05 was regarded as significant, and p<0.01 and p<0.001, as highly significant.
Results:
Long-distance runners most often declared having a varied diet (90%) and limited consumption of sweet or salty snacks (87.86%) and fast food (83.57%). Moreover, they often preferred drinking water and other unsweetened beverages (77.14%), included cereal products in every meal (73.57%) and avoided sweet fizzy drinks (75.71%) and energy drinks (70.71%). They consumed at least three meals daily (67.14%), and 3–5 portions of fruit and vegetables (66.43%); in addition, they limited the consumption of animal fats (62.86%), and preferred vegetable fats (54.28%). However, the sportsmen consumed whole-grain cereal products (48.57%), vegetables (37.86%), including raw vegetables (42.86%), dairy products (45%) and fish (44.28%) less often than recommended. The study demonstrated that professional runners significantly more often drank water and other unsweetened beverages than those recreational (90.00 vs. 73.33%; p<0.05) and consumed at least two portions of vegetables daily (52.00 vs. 30.00%; p<0.05), and also limited the consumption of animal fats (74.00 vs. 56.67%; p<0.05), sweet fizzy drinks (92.00 vs. 66.67%; p<0.001), energy drinks (90.00 vs. 60.00%; p<0.001) and sweet or salty snacks (98.00 vs. 82.22%; p<0.01).
Conclusions:
The study demonstrated that the implementation of quality recommendations of the Swiss food pyramid for sports people was limited among the study participants, which varied depending on the level of sports activity. Professional long-distance runners displayed healthier eating habits than those who practiced sport for recreational purposes.
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