Nutrition for sport and physical activity

Athletes and active individuals have energy and nutrient needs that differ from their sedentary counterparts. These needs will depend on exercise training intensity, duration, frequency, and mode and environmental conditions. Energy intake should be adequate to support exercise performance, prevent injury, and maintain health but will change over time depending on the exercise-training schedule and weight goals. Carbohydrate and protein needs are typically higher in active individuals, especially in competitive athletes. Carbohydrate is required for fuel and glycogen replacement, while protein is needed for growth, repair, and muscle adaptations, and selected foods must supply the additional requirements for micronutrients. Exercise/sport events are physiological challenging and require individualized food and fluid recommendations before, during, and after exercise, to reduce/delay fatigue and allow for optimal performance. Postexercise recovery nutrition should restore fuel and fluids homeostasis. Exercise training/competitions also create practical challenges, including accessibility of suitable foods and fluids at the right time around exercise and making good choices regarding supplements and sport foods.