Reinhard Corinne, Galloway Stuart D R
Physiology, Exercise and Nutrition Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom.
Front Nutr. 2022 Mar 11;9:862396. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.862396. eCollection 2022.
Carbohydrate (CHO) intake during exercise can optimize endurance performance. However, there is limited information regarding fueling practices of endurance athletes during training. Accordingly, an anonymous German-language online survey was circulated examining the determinants of CHO choices, and intake practices among runners, triathletes, and cyclists during training. Survey questions included predefined answers, and a Likert scale with response of CHO food choice intakes from 1 = never to 5 = always. 1,081 endurance participants (58.0% male, 68.6% aged 18-39 years) of varying competitive levels were included in the analysis. Overall, most participants consumed a combination of commercial sport nutrition products and everyday foods (67.4%, = 729) with their primary reason that food-first was preferred, but in some exercise scenarios, commercial sport nutrition products were deemed more convenient (61.3%, = 447). Participants consuming commercial sport nutrition products only (19.3%, = 209) most often valued their ease of intake during exercise (85.2%, = 178). Among those consuming everyday foods only (13.2%, = 143), the most common reason was the perceived importance of eating wholesome foods/natural ingredients (84.6%, = 121). Between the most frequently consumed CHO sources during training at low-to-moderate intensities ( = 1032), sports drinks (mean ± SD; 2.56 ± 1.33) were consumed significantly more often than bananas (2.27 ± 1.14, < 0.001), with no significant difference in intake frequency between bananas and traditional muesli/fruit/energy bars (2.25 ± 1.14, = 0.616). Whereas during high intensities ( = 1,077), sports drinks (3.31 ± 1.51) were significantly more often consumed than gels (2.79 ± 1.37), and gels significantly more often than energy bars (2.43 ± 1.28), all commercial sport nutrition products (all, < 0.001). Overall, 95.1% ( = 1028) of all participants consumed CHO during training at all exercise intensities, with males ( = 602; 2.35 ± 0.70) consuming significantly more often commercial sport nutrition products than females ( = 424; 2.14 ± 0.79, < 0.001); females consumed significantly more often everyday foods than males (1.66 ± 0.47 vs. 1.54 ± 0.42, < 0.001). Most participants used mixed CHO forms during low-to-moderate (87.9%), and high exercise intensities (94.7%). 67.6% ( = 731) of all participants reported guiding their CHO intake rates during training by gut feeling. These large-scale survey findings suggest a preference of endurance participants' CHO intake during training in liquid form independent of exercise intensities and offer novel insights into CHO intake practices to guide sports nutrition strategies and education.
运动期间摄入碳水化合物（CHO）可优化耐力表现。然而，关于耐力运动员在训练期间的能量补充做法的信息有限。因此，我们开展了一项匿名的德语在线调查，以研究跑步者、铁人三项运动员和自行车运动员在训练期间CHO选择的决定因素及摄入做法。调查问卷包含预定义答案，以及一个李克特量表，用于评估CHO食物选择摄入量，回答范围从1 = 从不摄入到5 = 总是摄入。分析纳入了1081名不同竞技水平的耐力项目参与者（58.0%为男性，68.6%年龄在18 - 39岁之间）。总体而言，大多数参与者同时食用商业运动营养产品和日常食物（67.4%，n = 729），他们首选日常食物的主要原因是更倾向于食物优先，但在某些运动场景中，商业运动营养产品被认为更方便（61.3%，n = 447）。仅食用商业运动营养产品的参与者（19.3%，n = 209）最常看重其在运动期间易于摄入的特点（85.2%，n = 178）。在仅食用日常食物的参与者中（13.2%，n = 143），最常见的原因是认为食用有益健康的食物/天然成分很重要（84.6%，n = 121）。在低至中等强度训练期间最常食用的CHO来源（n = 1032）中，运动饮料（均值±标准差；2.56 ± 1.33）的食用频率显著高于香蕉（2.27 ± 1.14，P < 0.001），香蕉和传统燕麦片/水果/能量棒的摄入频率无显著差异（2.25 ± 1.14，P = 0.616）。而在高强度训练期间（n = 1077），运动饮料（3.31 ± 1.51）的食用频率显著高于凝胶（2.79 ± 1.37），凝胶的食用频率显著高于能量棒（2.43 ± 1.28），所有商业运动营养产品的食用频率均有显著差异（P均< 0.001）。总体而言，95.1%（n = 1028）的参与者在所有运动强度的训练期间都摄入CHO，男性（n = 602；2.35 ± 0.70）食用商业运动营养产品的频率显著高于女性（n = 424；2.14 ± 0.79，P < 0.001）；女性食用日常食物的频率显著高于男性（1.66 ± 0.47对1.54 ± 0.42，P < 0.001）。大多数参与者在低至中等强度（87.9%）和高强度运动（94.7%）期间采用混合CHO形式。67.6%（n = 731）的参与者表示在训练期间根据直觉来指导CHO摄入量。这些大规模调查结果表明，耐力项目参与者在训练期间更倾向于以液体形式摄入CHO，且与运动强度无关，为指导运动营养策略和教育的CHO摄入做法提供了新的见解。
