Energy and Macronutrients Intake in Indoor Sport Team Athletes: Systematic Review

Personality Determinants Related to the Use of Selective and Effective Dietary Supplements by Elite Polish Team Sport Athletes

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this research was to analyse relationships between personality traits and the use of selected dietary supplements among Polish athletes training in team sports. This subject matter has not been explored in prior research.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This research was carried out among a group of 213 athletes (men) in the 18-36 age range, with the implementation of a proprietary validated questionnaire for the use of dietary supplements and the NEO-PI-R inventory (Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Personality Inventory-Revised). Statistical analyses were performed with the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests, assuming the following level of significance: α = 0.05.

RESULTS

It was shown that athletes who periodically and regularly consumed isotonic drinks, as well as energy bars and gels, were characterised by a lower level of neuroticism than those who did not consume them. Athletes who periodically took multivitamin preparations were characterised by a lower level of extraversion and openness, and those periodically using multimineral preparations were characterised by a higher level of agreeableness than those who did not use these agents. Athletes not taking creatine were characterised by the lowest level of conscientiousness among the study participants. The use of protein nutrients, probiotics and caffeine was not associated with any personality traits in the athletes.

CONCLUSIONS

Further relationships of the Big Five personality traits were demonstrated with the use of effective dietary supplements by athletes; the most unambiguous correlations were described for neuroticism and conscientiousness in such a way that the use of isotonic drinks, as well as energy bars and gels, was connected with a low level of neuroticism, while the use of creatine was connected with high conscientiousness.

Assessment of the Dietary Intake and Nutritional Status of Polish Professional Futsal Players: A Descriptive Study-Do Futsal Players Require Nutritional Education?

Futsal is a discipline with high training and nutritional requirements. Despite growing research interest in athletes' diet and nutritional status, no studies have examined Polish male futsal players. Therefore, the aim of this descriptive study was an assessment of the dietary intake and nutritional status in a selected group of futsal players. The study comprised 11 members of a top Polish futsal team (aged 26 ± 3.62 years). Dietary intake was assessed using a standardized 3-day food record. Body composition, total energy expenditure, physical fitness level, and concentrations of the biochemical indices of each participant were estimated. The energy availability in the diet was lower than recommended. Moreover, low consumption of carbohydrates was stated, as well as an inadequate intake of Vitamins E and D. Higher protein and cholesterol intake than recommended were also observed. To conclude, our results point to the need for educating athletes and coaches, particularly teaching about proper food choices, promoting quality foods, and, in some cases, using individual dietary plans to meet energy and nutrient needs. Nutrition education would help to improve their dietary and health habits and optimize their performance in sports training.

Body Composition, Nutritional Intake Assessment, and Perceptions about Diet for Health and Performance: An Exploratory Study for Senior Futsal Players

This study aims to assess the body composition and nutritional intake of senior male futsal players from the II Futsal Division—Azores Series and explore their individual viewpoints regarding the benefits and barriers of healthy eating and performance. Two groups were identified: those who only completed the sociodemographic questionnaire and the anthropometric data (Group 1, n = 48), and those who additionally had their food intake assessed using three 24-h dietary recalls and were interviewed (Group 2, n = 20). Although most of the players have a healthy body composition, those from Group 2 had a significantly higher Body Mass Index, showing that they are under “pre-obesity”, and have a higher percentage of body fat compared to the players from Group 1. Findings from the nutritional intake assessment revealed that players from Group 2 met dietary recommendations for protein, but not for energy and carbohydrate, and they slightly exceeded recommendations for fat. Findings from the interviews revealed that most of these players reported low levels of satisfaction with their sport performance, explained by their deviation from a healthy eating practice in their daily lives. They recognized the need to alter their diets, identifying food items that should be taken and avoided.

Personality Determinants of Exercise-Related Nutritional Behaviours among Polish Team Sport Athletes

A proper diet increases the effectiveness of training and accelerates post-workout regeneration. One of the factors determining eating behaviour are personality traits, including those included in the Big Five model, i.e., neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. The aim of this study was to analyse the personality determinants of peri-exercise nutritional behaviours among an elite group of Polish athletes practicing team sports. The study was conducted in a group of 213 athletes, using the author's validated questionnaire of exercise-related nutrition behaviours and the NEO-PI-R (Neuroticism Extraversion Openness-Personality Inventory-Revised). A statistical analysis was performed using Pearson's linear correlation and Spearman's rank correlation coefficients as well as a multiple regression analysis, assuming a significance level of α = 0.05. It has been shown that the level of the overall index regarding normal peri-exercise eating behaviours decreased with increasing neuroticism (r = -0.18) and agreeableness (r = -0.18). An analysis of the relationship between the personality traits (sub-scales) of the Big Five model demonstrated that the overall index of proper peri-exercise nutrition decreased with the intensification of three neuroticism traits, i.e., hostility/anger (R = -0.20), impulsiveness/immoderation (R = -0.18), and vulnerability to stress/learned helplessness (R = -0.19), and four traits of agreeableness, i.e., straightforwardness/morality (R = -0.17), compliance/cooperation (R = -0.19), modesty (R = -0.14), and tendermindedness/sympathy (R = -0.15) (p < 0.05). A multiple regression analysis exhibited that the full model consisting of all the analysed personality traits explained 99% of the variance concerning the level of the proper peri-exercise nutrition index. In conclusion, the index of proper nutrition under conditions of physical effort decreases along with the intensification of neuroticism and agreeableness among Polish athletes professionally practicing team sports.