title: Nutritional behaviour and beliefs of ski-mountaineers: a semi-quantitative and qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endurance athletes are advised to optimize nutrition prior to races. Little is known about actual athletes' beliefs, knowledge and nutritional behaviour. We monitored nutritional behaviour of amateur ski-mountaineering athletes during 4 days prior to a major competition to compare it with official recommendations and with the athletes' beliefs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants to the two routes of the 'Patrouille des Glaciers' were recruited (A, 26 km, ascent 1881 m, descent 2341 m, max altitude 3160 m; Z, 53 km, ascent 3994 m, descent 4090 m, max altitude 3650 m). Dietary intake diaries of 40 athletes (21 A, 19 Z) were analysed for energy, carbohydrate, fat, protein and liquid; ten were interviewed about their pre-race nutritional beliefs and behaviour.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite belief that pre-race carbohydrate, energy and fluid intake should be increased, energy consumption was 2416 ± 696 (mean ± SD) kcal · day(-1), 83 ± 17% of recommended intake, carbohydrate intake was only 46 ± 13% of minimal recommended (10 g · kg(-1) · day(-1)) and fluid intake only 2.7 ± 1.0 l · day(-1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our sample of endurance athletes did not comply with pre-race nutritional recommendations despite elementary knowledge and belief to be compliant. In these athletes a clear and reflective nutritional strategy was lacking. This suggests a potential for improving knowledge and compliance with recommendations. Alternatively, some recommendations may be unrealistic.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sports Sciences and Department of Physiology, University of Lausanne and Institute for Research in Rehabilitation, SuvaCare Rehabilitation Clinic, Sion, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Praz
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Dietetics Department, School of Health, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mélanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Granges
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Dietetics Department, School of Health, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Burtin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sports Sciences and Department of Physiology, University of Lausanne, Géopolis, Campus Dorigny, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kayser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes / Q000523:psychology; D001823:Body Composition; D004032:Diet; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009051:Mountaineering; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012865:Skiing; D064133:Sports Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins
keywords: Endurance activity; Energy intake; Food behaviour; Food beliefs; Pre-race nutrition; Ski-mountaineering