| Abstract [eng] |
Athletes should pay the necessary attention to their diet and follow recommendations for healthy diet, since properly and well-balance diet is of significant importance for the body condition, indicators of physical development and sports results. Data on nutrition of Lithuanian athletes in the Olympic team is missing. It has not been established if the diet of Lithuanian athletes in the Olympic team meets the requirements, factors determining the diet for athletes have not been assessed and effect of actual nutrition and dietary habits to adaptation of body of the members of Olympic family to physical loads and effect to achieved sports results have not been analysed. Purposeful evaluated the actual nutrition (consumption of carbohydrate, protein, fat, including saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, dietary fibres and etc.), dietary habits (food consumption and meal timing frequency, fluid consumption) and estimated consumption patterns of food supplements of Lithuanian athletes (by sport, gender and age) in the Olympic team during the 2008-2012 Olympic period of preparation for the games. The study results summarise that nutrition of Lithuanian athletes in the Olympic team does not fully meet the requirements, protein consumption is irrational, diet lacks carbohydrate, there is excess in fat, saturated fatty acids and cholesterol and lack of vitamins D, A, B1, folic acid and mineral substances, such as manganese, zinc, calcium and copper. Dietary habits of athletes are not appropriate, since they consume too little cereal-based foods, fresh vegetables and fruits, fish and milk products. Main food selection criterion is taste and specifics of the sport and health improvement factors are considered too seldom. Dietary habits of female athletes are healthier than the ones of male athletes. The work results come in handy when preparing programmes and measures, which may allow ensuring adequate body demand for nutritional and biologically active elements for Lithuanian athletes in the Olympic team from different sports, as well as to ensure their good health and prevent from occurrence of incorrect diet-related diseases. |
