8.3.1

Nutrition

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Energy Use

Energy is measured in kilocalories (kcal) or calories (cal). These calories are taken in from the foods that we eat. People need different amounts of calories based on:

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Gender

  • On average, males consume 2,500kcal per day and females consume 2,000kcal per day.
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Age

  • Once a person is over the age of 25, their calorie needs begin to fall as their metabolism (chemical processes in the body that keep us alive) slows down.
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Height

  • A taller person needs more calories because they have more body tissue to provide energy for.
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Energy expenditure

  • This depends on how much exercise an individual does each day. A more active person needs more energy than someone who is less active.
    • Elite athletes often need more than 2,000 or 2,500kcal per day.
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Basal metabolic rate (BMR)

  • This is how fast energy is being used by the individual's body.

Nutrition

We are not able to get all of the nutrients we need from 1 item of food. We need to eat a variety of foods to have a balanced and healthy diet.

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Balanced diet

  • A balanced diet is one that contains different types of foods that give us all of the nutrients we need to stay healthy.
  • It is important to make sure that we do not have too much of any particular nutrient because this is also unhealthy.
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Reasons for balanced diet

  • Unused energy is stored as fat in the body. This could lead to obesity, which is linked with serious health problems.
  • We need to consume suitable amounts of calories to exercise and carry out any other physical activity.
  • The body needs a variety of nutrients to have the energy to move, grow repair tissue, and stay hydrated.
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The 7 key nutrients

  • Carbohydrates.
  • Fat.
  • Protein.
  • Fibre.
  • Vitamins.
  • Minerals.
  • Water.
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Proportions of carbohydrates, fats and proteins

  • The following percentages are recommended for carbohydrates, fats and proteins:
    • Carbohydrates = 55-60% of a person's diet.
    • Fat = 25-30% of a person's diet.
    • Protein = 15-20% of a person's diet.

Jump to other topics

1Applied Anatomy & Physiology

2Movement Analysis

3Physical Training

4The Principles of Training

5Using Data

6Sports Psychology

7Socio-cultural Influences

8Health & Fitness

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