title: Nutritional intake evolution in adolescent sporting boys over the last two decades.
abstract: The AIM of the study was to evaluate the nutritional trends in young elite male soccer players, attending national soccer league at RFC Bruges over the last two decades. At the start of each season, players and parents are instructed about normal healthy nutrition and fluid intake by dieticians.
  
  
  METHODS
  Since 1983, dieticians perform dietary habit surveys in the adolescent player groups. They instruct players and parents how to record all food and fluid intake during 3 days, a training-day, a match-day and an off -day. It is asked to do the recordings when players and parents are together and parents are asked to supervise the recording. Intakes are calculated using the Becel institute nutrition software (BINS), Becel, 2003.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant decrease of energy intake/m2 is observed over the last 20 years. Body composition, measured as age-matched body mass index remained at median levels for the population during this period. An important modification of dietary content towards the recommended daily intakes is observed. Fat, saturated fat and cholesterol intake decreased dramatically. Carbohydrate intake increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A positive evolution towards the recommended dietary composition is observed over the years. However, the decrease in caloric intake without influence on the body mass index could suggest that these elite male footballers have a decreased physical activity as compared to 20 years ago.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition, University Hospital Ghent, Belgium. stephanie.vanbiervliet@ugent.be
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Biervliet
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Van Biervliet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Neve
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Watteyne
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Hooghe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004034:Diet Surveys; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary