Dietary intake of women runners.
One hundred and three women who were habitual distance runners and 74 age-matched physically inactive women provided three-day diet records. Intergroup differences in intakes of energy nutrients, micronutrients, cholesterol and fiber were evaluated via analysis of variance and, to assess qualitative differences, via analysis of covariance with total caloric intake entered as the covariate. Women runners reported consuming more carbohydrate (192.4 vs 165.0 g.d-1) and less fat (57.5 vs 66.1 g.d-1) than did the inactive women (p less than .05). After controlling for the non-significant intergroup difference in caloric intake, these differences persisted and protein intake was lower in the runners. Cholesterol and saturated fat intakes were lower and fiber intake was greater in the runners, with and without control for differences in caloric intake. These data suggest that female runners, when compared to inactive counterparts, tend to follow dietary practices that conform more closely to the current recommendations of health authorities.
Pate
R R
RR
School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia 29208.
Sargent
R G
RG
Baldwin
C
C
Burgess
M L
ML
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012420:Running; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber