An investigation of dietary intake, nutrition knowledge and hydration status of Gaelic Football players.

PURPOSE: To assess the dietary intake, nutrition knowledge and hydration status of Irish Gaelic footballers. METHOD: One hundred and sixty-eight male club/county level Irish Gaelic footballers (median [IQR]; age 23 years [20.0, 27.0]; height 1.79 m [1.74, 1.84]; body mass 78.0 kg [73.5, 84.8]) participated in this cross-sectional study. Dietary intake was assessed using a 4-day semi-quantitative food record, with the application of Goldberg cut-offs to define acceptable reporters (n = 62). Nutrition knowledge was assessed using the validated Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire in a sub-group of athletes (n = 24), while hydration status was measured using urine specific gravity pre-exercise (USG) in 142 athletes. RESULTS: Dietary analysis indicated an energy deficit at the group level (485 kcal [IQR 751,6]) (p < 0.001), with carbohydrate intakes (3.6 g/kg [IQR 3.0,4.1]) below current guidelines for athletes participating in one hour moderate intensity exercise per day (5-7 g/kg; p < 0.001). Average vitamin D (3.8 µg [IQR 1.8, 5.5]) and selenium intakes (54.2 µg [47.2, 76.7]) were significantly below the reference nutrient intakes (p < 0.001). A high proportion of individual athletes also had sub-optimal intakes for: vitamin D (95.2%), selenium (72.6%), vitamin A (38.7%), potassium (30.6%), zinc (25.8%), magnesium (19.4%) and calcium (12.9%). Nutrition knowledge was deemed poor (40.2 ± 12.4%), while pre-exercise hydration status (median USG 1.010 [IQR 1.005, 1.017]) was significantly below the cut-off to denote dehydration (1.020; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that Irish Gaelic footballers have sub-optimal dietary practices and lack nutrition knowledge. Individualised nutrition support may benefit these athletes to meet their nutrition requirements, to support health and performance.

Biological markers as an outcome measure of exercise in cancer rehabilitation: A systematic review.

The number of people living with and beyond cancer is at an all time high. These survivors are not necessarily living well, as adverse side effects from cancer and its treatment can last up to 5 years and leave patients at a higher risk of developing secondary cancers and other chronic illnesses. Exercise has been proven to be a safe and effective method of intervention to decrease mortality and overall improve health outcomes. The biological mechanism through which this occurs is an area of research that is in its infancy and not well defined. A systematic search was conducted of four databases for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between January 2004 and December 2014. Studies had to include any blood/urine biological markers as an outcome measure to a physical activity intervention for cancer survivors posttreatment. Fifteen relevant articles were identified (12 RCTs). It was shown that randomized controlled trials of exercise for cancer survivors posttreatment may results in changes to circulating levels of insulin, insulin related pathways (insulin like growth factor II [IGF II], IGF binding protein 3), high density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, leptin, and osteocalcin. Due to small sample sizes, the evidence is still preliminary and therefore more research is warranted in this area in the form of larger, statistically powered RCTs for cancer survivors.

Effect of α-lipoic acid and exercise training on cardiovascular disease risk in obesity with impaired glucose tolerance.

Obese subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) are more susceptible than healthy individuals to oxidative stress and cardiovascular disease. This randomised controlled investigation was designed to test the hypothesis that α-lipoic acid supplementation and exercise training may elicit favourable clinical changes in obese subjects with IGT. All data were collected from 24 obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) IGT patients. Following participant randomisation into two groups, fasting venous blood samples were obtained at baseline, and before and following intervention. The first group consisted of 12 participants who completed a 12 week control phase followed by 12 weeks of chronic exercise at 65% HRmax for 30 minutes a day, 5 days per week, while ingesting 1 gram per day of α-lipoic acid for 12 weeks. The second group consisted of 12 participants who completed the same 12 week control phase, but this was followed by 12 weeks of 1 gram per day of α-lipoic acid supplementation only (no exercise). The main findings show a comparatively greater rate of low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation in the group consisting of α-lipoic acid only (p < 0.05 vs. pre intervention), although total oxidant status was lower post intervention (p < 0.05 vs. baseline) in this group. However, exercise and α-lipoic acid in combination attenuates LDL oxidation. Furthermore, in the α-lipoic acid supplement plus exercise training group, total antioxidant capacity was significantly increased (p < 0.05 vs. baseline and pre intervention). Body fat percentage and waist and hip circumference decreased following exercise training (p < 0.05 vs. post intervention). There were no selective treatment differences for a range of other clinical outcomes including glycaemic regulation (p > 0.05). These findings report that α-lipoic acid ingestion may increase the atherogenicity of LDL when ingested in isolation of exercise, suggesting that in IGT the use of this antioxidant treatment does not ameliorate metabolic disturbances, but instead may detrimentally contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and development of CVD. However, when α-lipoic acid is combined with exercise, this atherogenic effect is abolished.

Session 1: Public health nutrition: Physical activity prescription for public health.

The increased prevalence of CVD deaths in the past 60 years is a result in considerable part of the influence of environmental and lifestyle changes, including decreased daily energy expenditure through physical exertion. Physical activity prescription has therefore become an important public health issue. Exercise guidelines have evolved considerably since their first publication by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in 1978. Guidelines initially focused on moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise to develop and maintain cardiorespiratory fitness. However, in the face of escalating physical inactivity, public health agencies sought to develop an exercise prescription more palatable to the sedentary majority and in 1995 recommended the accumulation of 30 min moderate-intensity exercise on most days of the week. The unexpected result of this message was that some individuals believed that vigorous exercise was not necessary, whilst others believed that low levels of physical activity were sufficient. In 2008 the ACSM and the American Heart Association sought to clarify this position and published an updated recommendation in which: the beneficial role of vigorous-intensity exercise is explicitly stated; adults are encouraged to combine moderate- and vigorous-intensity exercise to meet the minimum recommendation of moderate-intensity physical activity for a 30 min on 5 d/week or vigorous-intensity aerobic activity for 20 min on 3 d/week; the dose-response relationship between physical activity and health is reinforced. The immense challenge for public health professionals now lies in encouraging the sedentary population to adopt a more active lifestyle.

Acute exercise and impaired glucose tolerance in obese humans.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) have a greater risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease compared with those with normal glycemic control. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of acute aerobic exercise on glycemia, regional arterial stiffness, and oxidative stress in obese subjects with IGT. DESIGN: Twelve obese subjects (7 men and 5 women; 48.0±9.4 years; body mass index 32.4±7.0kg/m(2)) with IGT participated in a 30-minute bout of walking at 65% of maximum predicted heart rate. Pulse wave velocity (PWV, for determination of arterial stiffness) and blood pressure were examined before and after exercise, whereas venous blood samples were drawn for the determination of glucose, blood lipids, and indices of oxidative stress and inflammation (lipid hydroperoxides; superoxide dismutase; high-sensitivity C-reactive protein). RESULTS: After exercise PWV (9.1±1.2m/s vs. 8.6±1.0m/s), glucose (5.7±0.6 mmol·L(-1) vs. 5.4±0.6 mmol·L(-1)), and diastolic blood pressure (94±14mm Hg vs. 86±13mm Hg) decreased, respectively (P < .05). A correlation was observed between PWV and glucose (r=0.544, P < .05). There were no changes in lipid hydroperoxides, superoxide dismutase, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, or blood lipids (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that acute aerobic exercise can reduce regional arterial stiffness in obese subjects with IGT by possibly improving glucose metabolism, independent of changes in oxidative stress.