Barriers and Motivators of Young Dutch Elite Athletes for Optimizing Their Nutritional Intake

Many young elite athletes do not meet their daily energy and nutrient requirements. However, little research has been done on why these athletes do not meet their daily needs. The aim was to research the barriers and motivators of young Dutch elite athletes to optimize their nutritional intake. Quantitative and qualitative research was conducted among 8 handball and 4 volleyball players at the Dutch National Sports Center (17.2 ± 0.8 years). First, the nutritional intake was tracked through food diaries and analyzed in Nutritics. Thereupon, five semi-structured interviews based on the COM-B model were carried out. The interviews were transcribed and coded. The athletes had a reduced intake of energy, carbohydrates, vitamins A, C, E, D, calcium, potassium, zinc, and iron compared to their requirements. Seven themes for optimizing their nutritional intake emerged in the interviews: needs assessment, practical translation, portion size, lack of time, involvement, individuality, and food distribution. Barriers that the athletes experienced were that they did not know what their total daily nutritional needs were and how this translates into practice. In addition, the portion size at dinner was too small. They also had little time to eat a full meal due to time pressure from training and school. On the other hand, motivators were receiving meal options to translate their needs into practice with a distribution of moments when they need to eat. Covering these topics in nutritional workshops where athletes actively participate with more individual focus, could contribute to the optimization of their nutritional intake.

Left ventricular false tendons and electrocardiogram repolarization abnormalities in healthy young subjects

AIM To describe echocardiographically left ventricular false tendon characteristics and the correlation with ventricular repolarization abnormalities in young athletes.METHODS Three hundred and sixteen healthy young athletes from different sport disciplines were evaluated from 2009 to 2011 during routine screening for agonistic sports eligibility. All subjects, as part of standard preparticipation screening medical evaluation, underwent a basal and post step test 12-lead electrocardiogram(ECG). The athletes with abnormal T-wave flattening and/or inversion were considered for an echocardiogram evaluation and an incremental maximal exercise test on a cycle ergometer. Arterial blood pressure and heart rate, during and after exercise, were also measured.RESULTS Twenty-one of the 316 subjects(6.9%) showed false tendons in the left ventricle. The majority of false tendons(52.38%) were localized between the middle segments of the inferior septum and the lateral wall, 19.06% between the distal segments of the septum and the lateral wall, in 5 subjects between the middle segments of the anterior and inferior walls, and in one subject between the middle segments of the anterior septum and the posterior wall. ECG abnormalities, represented by alterations of ventricular repolarization, were found in 11 subjects(52.38%), 90% of these anomalies were T wave abnormalities from V1 to V3. These anomalies disappeared with an increasing heart rate following the three minute step test as well as during the execution of the maximal exercise.CONCLUSION Left ventricular false tendons are frequently localized between the middle segments of the inferior septum and the lateral wall and are statistically associated with ventricular repolarization abnormalities.

Osgood Schlatter Disease: Study of 2 Observations in Conakry, Guinea

Introduction: OSD is a growth osteochondrosis affecting the apophyseal cartilage of the anterior tibial tuberosity of the knee, 20 to 30% of young growing athletes suffer from this pathology, described by Osgood and Schlatter in 1903. Objective: To report 2 observations and review the literature. Observation 1: This was a 14-year-old Guinean teenager, Halpoular, living in Conakry, a right-handed footballer who presented with a painful swelling of the right knee that looked mechanical, whose father had HLA B27 positive ankylosing spondylitis. X-ray of the right knee showed fragmentation of the anterior tibial tuberosities, and ossicle with edema of the patellar tendons at stage 4 according to Ehrenbord and Lagergren (1961). Thus, the disease of OSD is retained, He received 120 mg of diclofenac, 20 mg omeprazole for 1 month and the cessation of sports activity, the evolution was favorably marked by the regression of pain. Observation 2: A 16-year-old girl, initials M.L.T, Guinean, residing in Coyah (Republic of Guinea), a handball player, consulted for intense pain (VAS: 8/10) in her knees after a violent shock received when she hit the post. The physical examination found a painful, soft swelling at the anterior tibial tuberosity of the right knee, the rest of the examination was normal. The X-ray of the right knee shows fragmentation of the anterior tibial tuberosity, and ossicle with edema of the patellar tendon at stage 4 according to Ehrenbord and Lagergren 1961, thus the OSD disease is retained, the treatment instituted was 120 mg of diclofenac, the cessation of sports activity which gives a good evolution (EVA at 2/10). Conclusion: OSD is a growth osteochondrosis affecting the apophyseal cartilage of the anterior tibial tuberosity of the knee in young growing athletes, resolving at rest.

Epidemiology of injuries in male and female youth football players:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological data of injuries in male and female youth football players.Methods:Searches were performed in MEDLINE/PubMed,Web of Science,Cochrane Library,and SPORTDiscus databases.Studies were considered if they reported injury incidence rate in male and female youth(≤19 years old)football players.Two reviewers(FJRP and ALV)extracted data and assessed trial quality using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology(STROBE)statement and the Newcastle Ottawa Scale.The Grading of Recommendations Assessment,Development,and Evaluation approach determined the quality of evidence.Studies were combined using a Poisson random effects regression model.Results:Forty-three studies were included.The overall incidence rate was 5.70 injuries/1000 h in males and 6.77 injuries/1000 h in females.Match injury incidence(14.43 injuries/1000 h in males and 14.97 injuries/1000 h in females)was significantly higher than training injury incidence(2.77 injuries/1000 h in males and 2.62 injuries/1000 h in females).The lower extremity had the highest incidence rate in both sexes.The most common type of injury was muscle/tendon for males and joint/ligament for females.Minimal injuries were the most common in both sexes.The incidence rate of injuries increased with advances in chronological age in males.Elite male players presented higher match injury incidence than sub-elite players.In females,there was a paucity of data for comparison across age groups and levels of play.Conclusion:The high injury incidence rates and sex differences identified for the most common location and type of injury reinforce the need for implementing different targeted injury-risk mitigation strategies in male and female youth football players.

Evaluation of Nutrition and Eating Habits in Children and Adolescents Practicing Football in a Sports Club in Bydgoszcz, Poland

Proper diet is important for children and adolescents practicing sports, providing nutrients for the correct growth, optimal performance and recovery. Therefore, this study evaluated the diet and eating habits of children and adolescents practicing football. One hundred boys （aged 11-16） are involved in the study. Eating habits and consumption of 33 products were assessed using a modified KomPAN questionnaire. Subsequently, indices of healthy and unhealthy diet were determined. Only 30% respondents ate five meals per day and 16% kept fixed meal times. Almost 30% had a snack once daily, 90% ate fast food once a week, and 88% added sugar to beverages. One in ten ate sweets several times per week, while 20%-once daily. 86% ate fish once a week. 52% and 4% ate white and dark bread several times per day. Only 20% had buckwheat several times per week. White and red meat was eaten several times per week by 66.3% and 35.6%, while fish by only 5.7%. Only 20% had a moderate index of healthy diet and 90% had a low index of unhealthy diet. It is concluded that education of young footballers in nutrition is necessary to correct their eating habits and improve physical performance.

The frequency and performance trends of European countries in the U18 and U20 rankings for 1500 m and 3000 m between 2009-2020

We purpose to determine the nationality of the European middle-distance athletes under 18 years(U18)and under 20 years(U20)during the last decade,to verify the participation trend for each country,and to assess whether the place of competition can be associated with the athletes ranking position.The sample comprised 902 European male runners,ranked among the best finishers from 2009 to 2020.The athletes were divided into two categories(n_(U18)=266;and n_(U20)=636)of two distances(n_(1500m)=397;n_(3000m)=505).The Mantel test was used for participation trend and the Chi-square test(χ^(2))was used to verify differences between the ranking position and the place of competition.For both distances,the highest number of athletes were from Spain(n=127),followed by Turkey(n=62)and Great Britain(n=50).No significant trends were shown for most of the countries,in both distances.A positive trend was shown for Slovenia(i.e.,3000m)over the years.A non-significant association was verified between the countries and the ranking position,as non-significant differences were proved for the place of competition.This information may be useful to guide athlete development programs in each country.