Food intake and dietary glycemic index and load of female football players

Abstract

Background: The interest for women's football has been growing considerably so it is essential to study the specific nutritional needs of this population. Determination of the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) is not common in sports but football players have intense training sessions and matches, resulting in the use of muscle and liver glycogen stores, thus making this analysis essential. Objective: investigate the food intake and determine the glycemic index and load of the diet of female professional football players. Methods: Seven athletes were studied. Food intake was assessed by three 24-hour dietary recalls and the software Avanutri 4 was used to estimate macro- and micronutrient intakes. Their dietary GI and GL were also determined. Results: Intake of carbohydrates was inadequate. The glycemic index of their meals on the three study days ranged from low to medium and the glycemic load was usually high. The quantitative and qualitative aspects of the players' diets were most inadequate on match days. Conclusion: The athletes' diets were inadequate and the absence of GI and GL cut-off points for this population represents a limitation for the better understanding of the dietary quality of athletes.