Dietary Intake of Canadian Middle-Aged Endurance Athletes

The purpose of the present study was to assess dietary intakes of Canadian non-elite middle-aged endurance athletes and explore potential sex differences.

Non-consecutive 3-day food intake records (FIR) were analyzed using Cronometer. Intakes were compared to dietary reference intakes (DRIs), acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges (AMDRs), and sports nutrition guidelines when available. Dietary intakes, including the proportion of males versus females meeting recommendations for each nutrient, were assessed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and/or Fisher's exact test.

A total of n = 44 (28 M/16 F) middle-aged endurance athletes completed the study (age = 50.4 ± 7.2 years, BMI = 23.6 ± 3.2 kg/m², moderate-vigorous activity [MVA] = 627.0 ± 3.2 min/week). All athletes met recommendations for protein (PRO), but not carbohydrates (CHO; 20.5% met sport nutrition guidelines) or fat (FAT; 54.5% exceeded AMDRs), with no differences between males and females. Athletes did not meet the recommended intakes for vitamin D (4.5% [38.6% with supplementation]), vitamin E (34.1% [47.7% with supplementation]), potassium (15.9%), calcium (50.0% [61.4% with supplementation]), or magnesium (65.9% [78.0% with supplementation]), and exceed the recommended intake of sodium (70.5% exceeded DRI). Females were more likely than males to have intakes below the DRIs for several vitamins and minerals, however many of these differences disappeared when supplement use was considered.

Middle-aged athletes require diets that not only support physical performance but also promote healthy aging. Findings in the present study indicate that Canadian non-elite middle-aged endurance athletes are not meeting recommended intakes of CHO, FAT, and many micronutrients; improving adherence to recommended intakes may help these athletes achieve optimal performance, taking into consideration age- and sex-related physiological changes. Future directions should investigate longitudinal dietary intake among middle-aged endurance athletes, as well as dietary intake based on menopausal stage.