Academician Nikityuk spoke about the unhealthy lifestyle of athletes

Almost half of their diet is fat

The proverb “A healthy mind in a healthy body” has lost its relevance in the 21st century. As it turns out, the worst violators of a healthy nutrition system and, as a result, those most susceptible to related diseases are athletes. Scientists spoke about this during the symposium.

According to Dmitry Nikityuk, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Director of the Federal Research Center for Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety, nutrition-dependent diseases (those that develop due to violations of the principles of healthy nutrition: cardiovascular, metabolic diseases, cancer, etc.) have become a huge medical problem. social problem all over the world. “Obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and underweight reduce the quality of life and reduce life expectancy. Almost 27% of deaths in Russia are associated with nutrition-related diseases, concomitant pathologies and their complications,” says Dmitry Nikityuk.

As academician Nikityuk continues, the idea that athletes are healthy people has long been outdated: this is the paradigm of the last century: “Athletes pay with a whole pool of diseases, they experience increased emotional and physical stress. The sporting life is short, and recovery after the end of a sports career is a whole problem.”

The expert says that a study conducted among sports teams showed that the nutrition of athletes is very unbalanced. Thus, 46% of their diet is fat, and the ratio of healthy polyunsaturated fats to harmful saturated fats is two times lower than normal. Another feature of the athletes’ diet is low carbohydrate consumption. Added to this is the extremely low protein consumption – only 8-10% of the diet. In addition, athletes’ diets are deficient in vitamins and micronutrients.

Scientists note that people who play sports or experience intense physical activity need nutritional support.

Specialists from the Federal Research Center for Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety conducted research: they developed modern diets for athletes of various types, taking into account sports load, individual preferences and allergies, as well as age and gender. For two weeks, study participants adhered to a diet based on traditional foods, as well as vitamin complexes, nutritional supplements and sports nutrition products. After two weeks, the study participants had improved health indicators (blood pressure, heart rate, blood counts, etc.), and the achieved results were maintained even after three months. “Optimal nutrition for athletes is an alternative and healthy replacement for doping,” says academician Nikityuk.

Meanwhile, the other day a system for monitoring the nutrition of the population will be launched in 15 regions of the country. This multicenter observational study will include 1,000 people per region. Its goal is to assess nutrition and the prevalence of nutritional risk factors, to identify regional nutritional characteristics of the population. As Elena Smirnova, head of the laboratory of demography and nutritional epidemiology of the Federal Research Center for Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety, said, based on its results, scientists will develop prevention programs and recommendations for healthy eating for people in different parts of the country.

According to Academician of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences Yuri Lachuga, since 1990, milk production in Russia has decreased from 55 million to 32 million tons, and beef production has decreased by a third. “Poultry meat today is consumed three times more than beef, but in 1990 it was exactly the opposite. But throughout the world, poultry meat is considered the meat of the poor,” he says.

Scientists propose a rational replacement for animal proteins in the form of specialized protein mixtures, since agriculture cannot cope.