Occupations involving the application of science to sport

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Occupations involving the application of science
to sport

• Andrea McNeilly
• University of Ulster
• Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute

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Outline

• What is nutrition?
• What do nutritionists do?
• How to become a nutritionist

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Nutrition

• Broad term
• It is a science that examines the relationship
  between diet and health
• Attempts to understand how and why specific
  dietary aspects influence health
• Many different areas of nutrition nutrition
  research

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Areas of nutrition

• Food Chain, Animals and Plants
• Cellular and Molecular Nutrition 
• Nutritional 'omics 
• Nutritional Epidemiology Public Health 
• Clinical Nutrition and Whole Body Metabolism 
• International Nutrition
• Reproduction and Child Health
• Sports and Exercise Nutrition

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What do nutritionists do ?

• Role varies depending what area you are working
  in
• Essentially it is the application of science to
  different situations/problems
• Need a good background in science

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Nutritionists in industry

• Food and drink manufacturers, retailers, medical
  food companies, food service providers
• New product development
• Communication with consumers marketing
  department
• Profit driven

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Public health nutritionists

• Work in health improvement, with groups or
  communities to promote health, wellbeing and
  reduce inequalities
• Obesity/heart clinics, young mothers/elderly
• Conduct surveys to assess the publics knowledge
  about nutrition
• Developing nutrition policies

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UK Dietary Intake
20
20
40
50
30
40

Fig 1.1 Recommended Healthy UK Diet
Fig 1.0 Average UK Diet

PROTEIN
CHO
FAT
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Sports nutritionist

• Promote nutrition exercise and fitness, as
  personal trainers or by working in the Sports,
  Fitness and Health and Recreation Industries
• Working with athletes
• Examining dietary intake, performance and how to
  improve performance

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Consensus statement

• International Consensus Conference, Lausanne,
  1991
• Diet significantly influences athletic
  performance. An adequate diet in terms of
  quantity and quality, before, during and after
  training and performance will maximise
  performance

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Dietary Intake for sport
20
INTERVENTION
50
30

Fig 1.2 Healthy diet for sport
Fig 1.1 Recommended Healthy UK Diet
PROTEIN
CHO
FAT

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Optimum nutrition

• Improves performance
• Decreases recovery time from strenuous events
• Prevents exercise injuries due to fatigue
• Provides the fuel required during high intensity
  training for competing and
• Controls weight

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CHO main meals

• Deep pan pizza (thick crust) healthy toppings !
• Rice with low fat meat sauce
• Pasta with tomato or meat sauce
• Stir fry with your choice of meat and lots of
  vegetables
• Poached fish with jacket potatoes and vegetables
• Roast chicken
• Macaroni cheese (easy on the cheese!)

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Fluid requirementsthe f factor
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Fluids and exercise performance

• Pre-exercise hydration
• Fluid replacement during exercise
• Effects of fluid ingestion on performance
• Post-exercise rehydration
• Environmental conditions

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Becoming a nutritionist

• Science at A level
• Biology, Chemistry home economics and maths
• BSc degree in nutrition that is professionally
  accredited
• Register as Associate Nutritionist
• Specialise after registration (PhD/ experience)
• Registered Nutritionist

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Registered nutritionist (RNutr)

• Must demonstrate that they
• Can recognise the highest standards of scientific
  evidence in nutrition
• Apply the highest standards of scientific
  evidence safely and effectively in their practice
  of nutrition
• Continuously improve their knowledge, skills and
  practice of science based practice.

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• Any questions ?