Provision of Nutrition Support to Athletes Competing at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games

摘要

Provision of nutrition support by dieticians at elite level competition has been previously shown to assist athletes to make informed food choices prior to competition. Elite level competition in a country where food safety is dubious and access to suitable special dietary food is challenging creates additional pressure for athletes and officials. PURPOSE: To evaluate a nutrition support service available within the athlete’s village dining hall at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games. METHODS: Dietitians (n=4) kept detailed records of each occasion of service from the week prior to competition until the end of competition (23rd Sept - 14th Oct 2010). In addition, a questionnaire that included information on athlete’s dietary preferences and rating of the nutrition services was distributed randomly to patrons in the dining hall over each meal period. Data was analysed using SPSS for Windows. Frequencies and means were computed. Chi-Square tests were undertaken to determine the association between categorical variables. RESULTS: A total of 443 enquiries (60% athletes, 40% officials) were received at the kiosk on issues relating to food service (eg. Availability and safety of food) (31%), special diets (eg. Gluten free) (23%), and competition (19%) or general/training nutrition (16%). Nutrition consultations (n =52) where conducted with athletes (65% male and 35% female; mean age: 27.4 + 8.5 years) with 40% from power, 31% from weight category, 25% from skill based, and 4% from team sports. The majority of athletes were seeking advice on weight related issues with 39% wanting to lose weight, 23% attempting to make weight and 14% looking to gain weight. The majority of food service enquires came from Australia (18%), New Zealand (11%) and India (8%), while dietetic consultations were mainly conducted with athletes from Africa (37%) and Asia (25%). Results from the dining hall questionnaire (n=351) indicated that 64% athletes followed at least one type of special diet. The majority (63%) reported following a dietary regime based on the nutrient content of the food (eg. High carbohydrate, low fat) while 13% avoided potential allergens (eg. Nuts). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of athletes reported that a nutrition service was essential to their confidence in food provision in such a challenging and unique environment. ©2011The American College of Sports Medicine