Objectives of Sports Nutrition
Maintaining a balanced caloric and protein intake—the relationship between supply and expenditure—is critical for tissue maintenance and growth in both athletes and sedentary individuals. When energy consumption is insufficient to meet energy needs, it becomes difficult to maintain protein or nitrogen balance, even when consuming the established RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances), as hypocaloric diets increase the degradation of endogenous proteins, significantly affecting non-contractile muscle proteins.
Studies conducted with young individuals training for strength or endurance suggest that protein RDAs may even double. Young athletes need to meet the energy demands associated with growth and physical activity. Chronic consumption of low-energy diets in young people could delay growth and development, negatively impacting training performance.
In winter sports, strict body weight control—often linked to hypocaloric diets—is not common. However, the nature of the exercise itself—which involves rapid movements with a high eccentric component—leads to tissue damage (tendons, ligaments, and muscles) that can be repaired relatively quickly (minutes, hours) or over a longer period (days, weeks), depending on the severity of the damage.
Resting energy expenditure in absolute terms increases during childhood due to body size growth. This increase appears to be more closely related to body weight than to height or age. Conversely, resting energy expenditure relative to weight (kcal/kg/day) decreases during childhood, remaining constant between ages 1 and 4 and declining linearly until ages 16-18.
Factors contributing to this reduction include a decrease in the body surface-to-weight ratio, which lowers energy expenditure linked to maintaining body temperature. Additionally, the proportion of metabolically active tissues (brain, heart, liver, kidneys, and lungs) relative to total body weight is higher in early childhood and decreases with age.
How Does Physical Stress Affect Our Body?
In snow sports, such as snowboarding, the physical stress on body tissues is mitigated by a compensatory immune response mechanism that protects against infections. However, in certain situations—such as excessive training or periods of heightened physical or psychological stress (competitions, travel, extreme temperatures)—a weakened immune response has been observed in athletes, increasing susceptibility to bacterial or viral illnesses.
An Efficient Diet to Prevent Injuries
Malnutrition is the most common cause of secondary immunodeficiency worldwide. Proper nutrition clearly supports the body’s natural immune mechanisms.
It is estimated that around 50% of non-contact sports injuries could be prevented by consuming an appropriate diet. The most significant nutritional deficiency linked to sports injuries is water. Dehydration contributes to injury incidence in all sports, particularly football and combat sports.
In any sport, impaired mental function due to dehydration can lead to injuries. Water requirements vary based on total energy expenditure—a simple rule is to drink 1 ml of water per kcal consumed. However, training in hot and/or humid conditions increases sweat loss, necessitating higher fluid intake.
Conversely, mild or moderate deficiencies in macro- and micronutrients are harder to link directly to sports injuries. However, chronic hypocaloric diets have been associated with reduced work capacity.
Poor nutritional status—marked by low glycogen reserves, iron deficiency, or other micronutrient deficiencies—can reduce muscular endurance. Studies show that injury incidence is higher in female athletes and dancers with amenorrhoea or anorexia.
General nutritional advice for injury prevention:
- Base meals on the food pyramid, ideally daily, consuming sweets and fats in moderation (top of the pyramid) and prioritising foods rich in complex carbohydrates—such as cereals, vegetables, and legumes—which form the pyramid’s foundation.
- Establish healthy eating patterns starting with breakfast and limit snacks to nutrient-dense options.
- Drink plenty of fluids, but focus on skimmed dairy, low-fat broths, citrus drinks, natural juices, water, and herbal teas. Limit fizzy drinks and coffee. Tea may be acceptable if consumed on an empty stomach, not with meals.
