Nutritional status of adventure racers.

OBJECTIVE: We describe the usual food intake, body composition, and biochemical profile of adventure racers during their training season and evaluate their energy and nutrient intake in relation to current recommendations for ultraendurance athletes. METHODS: Twenty-four adventure race athletes (18 men and 6 women), 24 to 42 y of age, participated in the study. Food intake was determined with a 3-d food record and body composition by plethysmography. Blood samples were obtained from all subjects for biochemical analyses. All assessments were made during the usual training phase. RESULTS: Female athletes had a higher body fat percentage than did male athletes (20.2 +/- 5.7% versus 12.5 +/- 3.5%). For men and women, food intake was high in protein (1.9 +/- 0.5 g/kg in men, 2.0 +/- 0.4 g/kg in women) and fat (1.6 +/- 0.3 g/kg in men, 1.5 +/- 1.3 g/kg in women). Carbohydrate intake of male athletes was at the lower limit of that recommended (5.9 +/- 1.8 g/kg). For most vitamins and minerals, athletes' intake was adequate, with the exception of magnesium, zinc, and potassium in men and women and vitamin E and calcium in women, which presented a high probability of being inadequate compared with reference values. High blood levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were found in female athletes (201.0 +/- 44.7 and 104.1 +/- 43.1 mg/dL, respectively) and all other biochemical analyses were within normal reference values. CONCLUSION: The adventure racers presented an inadequate nutritional profile when compared with recommendations for endurance exercise. These athletes need to be educated about consuming an adequate diet to meet the nutritional needs of their activity.

The influence of sleep and sleep loss upon food intake and metabolism.

The present review investigates the role of sleep and its alteration in triggering metabolic disorders. The reduction of the amount of time sleeping has become an endemic condition in modern society and the current literature has found important associations between sleep loss and alterations in nutritional and metabolic aspects. Studies suggest that individuals who sleep less have a higher probability of becoming obese. It can be related to the increase of ghrelin and decrease of leptin levels, generating an increase of appetite and hunger. Sleep loss has been closely associated with problems in glucose metabolism and a higher risk for the development of insulin resistance and diabetes, and this disturbance may reflect decreased efficacy of the negative-feedback regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The period of sleep is also associated with an increase of blood lipid concentrations, which can be intensified under conditions of reduced sleep time, leading to disorders in fat metabolism. Based on a review of the literature, we conclude that sleep loss represents an important risk factor for weight gain, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and dyslipidaemia. Therefore, an adequate sleep pattern is fundamental for the nutritional balance of the body and should be encouraged by professionals in the area.

[Relation between sleep and obesity: a literature review]. / Relação entre sono e obesidade: uma revisão da literatura.

Reduction in sleep time has become an endemic condition in modern society and current literature has found important epidemiological associations between damage in the habitual standard of sleep and obesity. On this basis, the present revision analyzed the role of sleep and its alteration in the promotion of obesity. Diverse studies indicate that subjects that sleep less have greater possibility of becoming obese, and the shortening of sleep increases the leptin/ghrelin reason, generating increase of the appetite and hunger. This can be associated to the biggest caloric intake and promotion of obesity. An adequate standard of sleep becomes basic for the regulation of body mass and must be stimulated by health professionals.

Relação entre sono e obesidade: uma revisão da literatura / Relation between sleep and obesity: a literature review

A diminuição do tempo de sono tem se tornado uma condição endêmica na sociedade moderna, e a literatura atual tem encontrado importantes associações epidemiológicas entre o prejuízo no padrão habitual do sono e a obesidade. Com base nisso, a presente revisão analisou o papel do sono e da sua alteração no desencadeamento da obesidade. Diversos estudos indicam que os indivíduos que dormem menos têm uma maior possibilidade de se tornarem obesos, e que o encurtamento do sono aumenta a razão grelina/leptina, gerando o aumento do apetite e da fome. Isto pode estar associado à maior ingestão calórica e ao desencadeamento da obesidade. Dessa forma, um padrão adequado de sono torna-se fundamental para o controle da massa corporal, devendo ser incentivado pelos profissionais da saúde.

Reduction in sleep time has become an endemic condition in modern society and current literature has found important epidemiological associations between damage in the habitual standard of sleep and obesity. On this basis, the present revision analyzed the role of sleep and its alteration in the promotion of obesity. Diverse studies indicate that subjects that sleep less have greater possibility of becoming obese, and the shortening of sleep increases the leptin/grelin reason, generating increase of the appetite and hunger. This can be associated to the biggest caloric intake and promotion of obesity. An adequate standard of sleep becomes basic for the regulation of body mass and must be stimulated by health professionals.