title: Dietary patterns, gastrointestinal complaints, and nutrition knowledge of recreational triathletes.
abstract: Dietary habits, nutrition knowledge, and gastrointestinal complaints were evaluated in 21 female and 50 male triathletes; 30 completed hemoccult slides to determine the frequency of gastrointestinal bleeding. Triathletes trained 11 h/wk with weekly distances of 5.3, 116.5, and 40.9 km for swimming, biking, and running, respectively. Mean daily energy intake averaged 9058 and 11,591 kJ for women and men, respectively; 53.8% of the energy was from carbohydrates. Mean intakes of vitamins and most minerals exceeded the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs), but many had intakes below RDAs for some nutrients; greater than 60% had low zinc and copper intakes. Because 39% took a daily multivitamin-mineral supplement, some had intakes 200-600% above the RDA. Although there were notable misconceptions about nutrition, nutrition knowledge was high. Upper-gastrointestinal complaints, reported by 50%, included bloating and abdominal gas; the incidence of positive hemoccult slides was 27%. The relation among performance, dietary patterns, nutrition knowledge, and gastrointestinal function remains to be established.
authors.affiliation: Department of Military Medicine, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Worme
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Doubt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Moses
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Deuster
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*; D009780:Occult Blood; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D013177:Sports; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires