CALORIC AND MACRONUTRIENT CHANGES ACROSS AN ENTIRE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON

Currier B*1, Zanders BRƗ1, Rodriguez AƗ1, Harty PƗ1, Smith CƗ1, Stecker Rǂ1 and Kerksick CMǂ1, FACSM. 1Exercise and Performance Nutrition Laboratory, School of Health Sciences, Lindenwood University, St. Charles, MO USA PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify changes in dietary intake across an entire women’s basketball season. METHODS: On five different occasions across an entire season, female collegiate basketball players (19.8 ± 1.3 years, 173.9 ± 13.6 cm, 74.6 ± 9.1 kg, 27.1 ± 3.2 % fat, 53.9 ± 6.4 mL/kg/min, n=13) completed four-day food and fluid records in addition to sleep and meals consumed to assess changes in dietary status. DEXA was used to assess body composition at baseline. All dietary intake data was averaged per day and represented as absolute intake and normalized to body mass in kilograms. Data was analyzed using one-factor repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: Absolute (2,425 ± 218 kcals, p = 0.72) and normalized (32.7 ± 3.7 kcals/kg, p = 0.79) daily caloric intake did not change across the season. Absolute (273 ± 19, p = 0.29) and normalized (3.7 ± 0.40 g/kg, p = 0.13) daily carbohydrate intake did not change across the season. Carbohydrate intake experienced non-significant reductions during the middle part of the season in comparison to other parts of the season. Absolute (87.1 ± 10.2 grams, p = 0.07) and normalized (1.17 ± 0.16 g/kg, p = 0.07) daily protein intake both tended to change across the season. Post-hoc analysis revealed that protein intakes late in the competitive season were significantly lower (p = 0.02) than early in the competitive season. Absolute (100.9 ± 17.0 grams, p = 0.10) and normalized (1.37 ± 0.25 g/kg, p = 0.32) daily fat intake did not change across the season. CONCLUSIONS: Across an entire women’s basketball season, mean changes in caloric as well as macronutrient intakes were reported. While non-significant, average reported caloric intake levels were 150 – 180 kcals/day lower during the middle of the season when compared to the beginning and the final weeks of the season. Moreover, self-reported carbohydrate (3.7 ± 0.4 g/kg/day) and protein (1.17 ± 0.16 g/kg/day) were much lower than recommended values for competitive strength and power athletes for carbohydrate and protein (5 – 6 g/kg/day and 1.4 – 1.6 g/kg/day, respectively). A number of areas seem to exist where focused nutrition education can take place to help the athletes and coaches better understand when dietary intake may be compromised throughout an entire women’s basketball season