Many College Athletes Failing Sports Nutrition

A study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism reported that only 15 percent of college athletes are getting adequate carbohydrates and only 26 percent are getting adequate protein in their diet. Pamela Hinton, assistant professor of nutritional sciences in the College of Human Environmental Sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia, lead the study that looked at 345 college athletes.

The results found that male college athletes aren't eating enough carbohydrates and are more likely to eat too much fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium than females. Women athletes, however, weren't getting adequate calorie intake overall, and 62 percent said they wanted to lose at least five pounds.

Research supports the important role of carbohydrates for athletes. In fact, Carbohydrate is the most important source of energy for all athletes, including those who need strength and power, because it provides the energy that fuels muscle contractions. In fact, eating high carbohydrate foods in the two hours after exercise can help replenish depleted muscle glycogen stores. Adding a specific ratio of carbohydrate to protein nearly doubles the effect.

Learn More
Sports Nutrition Basics - From Training to Competition
Sports Nutrition - Protein
Sports Nutrition - Fat
Sports Nutrition - Carbohydrate
Sports Nutrition for Strength Building

_Source

Hinton PS, Sanford TC, Davidson MM, Yakushko OF, and Beck NC. Nutrient intakes and dietary behaviors of male and female collegiate athletes. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism 2004; 14(4): 389-405.