Survey for nutritional strategy to maintain athletic performance and heat illness prevention in athlete

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20070
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59030:Physical education, and physical and health education-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Yamashita Naoyuki 京都工芸繊維大学, 基盤科学系, 助教 (70800738)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 熱中症 / 栄養摂取 / 食事調査

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study aimed to investigate the association between lifestyle habit, nutritional intake and incidence of heat illness in High-school and Collegiate athletes. The structured survey was used to assess the lifestyle habit and incidence of exertional heat exhaustion (EHE) and exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC) whilst brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire was used to assess the nutritional intakes among the respondents. The results suggests that "reduction in perceived sleep quality", "increase in sports activity participation per week", "insufficient rest breaks" and "perceived dehydration" were positively associated with incidence of EHE and EAMC. In contrast, "using air-conditioner during bedtime" was negatively associated with EHE and EAMC. In terms of nutritional intake, the group that experienced EHE and EAMC had a lower intake of sodium, calcium, phosphorus and zinc, protein and vitamin B12 than the group that did not experience these conditions.

Free Research Field

運動生理学、環境生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

既存のスポーツ活動時の熱中症予防方策（主に脱水予防と暑さ回避、練習計画の見直し）に加えて日常生活にも熱中症発生のリスクを高める恐れのある要因を抽出した。熱中症を予防するためには、睡眠時のエアコンの使用など睡眠の質を低下させない方策が有効である可能性が明らかとなった。さらに、食事の重要性も示唆された。具体的には熱疲労や熱けいれんを経験したアスリートはそうではないアスリートに比較してナトリウムやカルシウム、リン、亜鉛などのミネラルやたんぱく質の摂取量が少ないおそれがあることから、夏季の栄養管理についても注意する必要があることが示唆された。