Nutritional profile of recruits to a fitness programme

Examination of the dietary habits of a group of adults embarking on a two-year fitness programme (the "Adelaide 1000") showed that, although many of their dietary habits were more consistent with national dietary guidelines than those of a comparison community group, their overall intake of nutrients was similar. The major difference was a substantially higher rate of dietary supplementation with vitamin and mineral preparations in the fitness group. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to public understanding of dietary principles and to the provision of practical nutritional guidance in conjunction with fitness programmes.