High prevalence of subclinical energy availability and poor diet quality among paralympic basketball athletes
Abstract Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the pre-season nutritional status, diet quality, and energy availability levels of Paralympic athletes competing in wheelchair basketball. Methods Thirty-two male paralympic athletes, aged 18–63 years, from the Turkish Wheelchair Basketball L...
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BMC
2025-05-01
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| Series: | BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-025-01139-w |
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| author | Murat Urhan Ceren Akanalçı Özge Küçükerdönmez Ezgi Karataş Rana Nagihan Akder Mesut Nalçakan Reci Meseri |
| author_facet | Murat Urhan Ceren Akanalçı Özge Küçükerdönmez Ezgi Karataş Rana Nagihan Akder Mesut Nalçakan Reci Meseri |
| author_sort | Murat Urhan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the pre-season nutritional status, diet quality, and energy availability levels of Paralympic athletes competing in wheelchair basketball. Methods Thirty-two male paralympic athletes, aged 18–63 years, from the Turkish Wheelchair Basketball League participated in the study. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), while resting metabolic rate (RMR) was measured through indirect calorimetry. Seven-day dietary intake and physical activity records were also collected. Diet quality was analyzed using the Healthy Eating Index- 2020 (HEI- 2020), and energy availability levels were calculated based on the collected data. Results The findings revealed that 81.8% of the athletes exhibited poor diet quality. On average, the athletes dietary carbohydrate intake was 2.75 ± 1.22 g/kg/day, while their protein intake was 1.04 ± 0.49 g/kg/day. The proportion of energy derived from dietary fat was 38.81 ± 6.7%, with 13.39 ± 2.99% coming from saturated fat. Intake levels of thiamine, folate, vitamin A, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc were found to be inadequate. The average energy level among paralympic athletes was 37.41 ± 11.01 kcal/kg FFM/day, with 21.2% classified as having low energy availability levels and 57.5% as having subclinical energy availability levels. The athletes demonstrated a negative energy balance (- 560.02 ± 593.43 kcal/day), which was more pronounced on training days (- 889.04 ± 683.84 kcal/day). Conclusions These results suggest that paralympic athletes had insufficient dietary intake of energy, macronutrients, and micronutrients, alongside a high prevalence of low and subclinical energy availability levels. Developing nutrition recommendations tailored specifically for paralympic athletes, combined with implementing nutrition education programs led by qualified dietitians, could play a crucial role in safeguarding and improving their health, enhancing training adaptations, and optimizing athletic performance. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cd261003dc7c4ccd8bd1cbcc4cc4e70e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2052-1847 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation |
| spelling | doaj-art-cd261003dc7c4ccd8bd1cbcc4cc4e70e2025-08-20T03:09:20ZengBMCBMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation2052-18472025-05-0117111110.1186/s13102-025-01139-wHigh prevalence of subclinical energy availability and poor diet quality among paralympic basketball athletesMurat Urhan0Ceren Akanalçı1Özge Küçükerdönmez2Ezgi Karataş3Rana Nagihan Akder4Mesut Nalçakan5Reci Meseri6Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ege UniversityDepartment of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ege UniversityDepartment of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ege UniversityDepartment of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ege UniversityDepartment of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ege Universityİzmir Metropolitan Municipality Eşrefpaşa Hospital Athlete Health UnitDepartment of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ege UniversityAbstract Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the pre-season nutritional status, diet quality, and energy availability levels of Paralympic athletes competing in wheelchair basketball. Methods Thirty-two male paralympic athletes, aged 18–63 years, from the Turkish Wheelchair Basketball League participated in the study. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), while resting metabolic rate (RMR) was measured through indirect calorimetry. Seven-day dietary intake and physical activity records were also collected. Diet quality was analyzed using the Healthy Eating Index- 2020 (HEI- 2020), and energy availability levels were calculated based on the collected data. Results The findings revealed that 81.8% of the athletes exhibited poor diet quality. On average, the athletes dietary carbohydrate intake was 2.75 ± 1.22 g/kg/day, while their protein intake was 1.04 ± 0.49 g/kg/day. The proportion of energy derived from dietary fat was 38.81 ± 6.7%, with 13.39 ± 2.99% coming from saturated fat. Intake levels of thiamine, folate, vitamin A, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc were found to be inadequate. The average energy level among paralympic athletes was 37.41 ± 11.01 kcal/kg FFM/day, with 21.2% classified as having low energy availability levels and 57.5% as having subclinical energy availability levels. The athletes demonstrated a negative energy balance (- 560.02 ± 593.43 kcal/day), which was more pronounced on training days (- 889.04 ± 683.84 kcal/day). Conclusions These results suggest that paralympic athletes had insufficient dietary intake of energy, macronutrients, and micronutrients, alongside a high prevalence of low and subclinical energy availability levels. Developing nutrition recommendations tailored specifically for paralympic athletes, combined with implementing nutrition education programs led by qualified dietitians, could play a crucial role in safeguarding and improving their health, enhancing training adaptations, and optimizing athletic performance.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-025-01139-wParalympic athletesWheelchair basketballBody compositionNutritional statusEnergy availability |
| spellingShingle | Murat Urhan Ceren Akanalçı Özge Küçükerdönmez Ezgi Karataş Rana Nagihan Akder Mesut Nalçakan Reci Meseri High prevalence of subclinical energy availability and poor diet quality among paralympic basketball athletes BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation Paralympic athletes Wheelchair basketball Body composition Nutritional status Energy availability |
| title | High prevalence of subclinical energy availability and poor diet quality among paralympic basketball athletes |
| title_full | High prevalence of subclinical energy availability and poor diet quality among paralympic basketball athletes |
| title_fullStr | High prevalence of subclinical energy availability and poor diet quality among paralympic basketball athletes |
| title_full_unstemmed | High prevalence of subclinical energy availability and poor diet quality among paralympic basketball athletes |
| title_short | High prevalence of subclinical energy availability and poor diet quality among paralympic basketball athletes |
| title_sort | high prevalence of subclinical energy availability and poor diet quality among paralympic basketball athletes |
| topic | Paralympic athletes Wheelchair basketball Body composition Nutritional status Energy availability |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-025-01139-w |
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