Sports Nutrition Case Studies

Pick one of the following four case studies and respond to the questions. Your response should be 300 words or more. Be sure to use references (APA formatting is suggested) to support your answers.

Roger is a starting guard on his college basketball team. He is a leader on his team, stays after practice to work on his shots, and is busy with academic and community life on campus. Because of his hectic schedule, he has little time for meal planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation. Dinner is usually consumed at the athletics training table during the week, and the rest of his meals are costumed either at home or at local restaurants. A 3-day food record kept by Roger recently was analyzed using a nutrition software program. The analysis revealed overall energy intake was not meeting his estimated needs, and vitamins A, C, and folate were consistently low throughout the three days. The rest of the vitamins and minerals met the minimum RDA or AI requirements.

1. What questions should you ask Roger about his typical daily diet?
2. What recommendations do you have for Roger to improve his dietary intake of vitamins and his energy intake?
3. How can you help Roger meet these recommendations?

OR

Case 2: Minerals

Anne participates in triathlons. Recently, in a half-Ironman race, she experienced nausea, intestinal cramping, and diarrhea on the run, leading to poor performance. The entire race took her nearly 6.5 hours. During the bike portion, she consumed 100 oz of a relatively new sports beverage that she has been training with this year, as well as two gels. On the run, she consumed sips of the sports beverage provided on the course but switched over to water once she started experiencing nausea, cramping, and diarrhea. She was frustrated by her performance and wants to ensure that it does not happen again. You ask Anne to bring in the new sports beverage she has been consuming so that you can review the Supplement Facts label. Per 8 oz. serving, the following nutrients are provided: 60 calories, 15 g carbohydrates, 0 g protein, 0 g fat, 100 mg sodium, 50 mg calcium, 30 mg magnesium, and 100 mg potassium.

1. What could be a potential cause of Anne’s nausea, intestinal cramping, and diarrhea during the race?
2. How does Anne’s new sports beverage compare with others on the market?
3. What recommendations would you give to Anne to prevent the symptoms from occurring in future races?

OR

Case 3: Fluids

Chad is a collegiate lacrosse player in Arizona. During the preseason and in-season training, the team will practice for hours, often in 80- to 90-degree weather. The coach incorporates fluid breaks during practice; however, he allows the athletes to consume only water. The coach believes that sports beverages hinder performance and therefore forbids the athletes to consume them. The athletes complain of feeling fatigued, lethargic, and light-headed by the end of practices.

1. What are the problems in this scenario?
2. What should the athletes do to feel better throughout their practices?
3. What hydration principles should the athletes follow?

OR

Case 4: Weight Management

Ian is an 18-year-old gymnast training in a private gym with many other male and female gymnasts. He is competing at an advanced level and is likely to make the next Olympic team. Lately, he has been finding some of his balance and strength moves on the rings and parallel bars more difficult. He has gone through a bit of a growth spurt and has gained approximately 5 pounds over the last year. He suspects the weight gain is causing his performance difficulties. He decides to try a weight loss program that will help you lose weight before his next big competition in six weeks. He is not sure how many calories to consume and therefore, arbitrarily decided to eat 1,500 kcal per day.

1. Which assessments are required to determine whether Ian needs to lose weight?
2. What type of diet and exercise plan would you recommend for Ian?
3. What additional concerns do you have for Ian’s health and sports performance?