INTRODUCTION Professional jockeys are considered elite sportsmen competing in a sport with certain weight restrictions. Horse racing is categorized as a “weight-making” sport where jockeys can benefit from attaining and/or maintaining a specific weight for competition. The minimum riding weight for professional jockeys and apprentice jockeys who are race riding is currently 52 kg. The lighter the jockey (i.e. the closer he can remain to the minimum weight of 52 kg) the more rides may be allocated to him (and the more money he will earn). This places a great deal of pressure on the jockey to maintain a low body weight, in order to attain rides. Unlike other weight category sports, horse riding does not have an “off season”, therefore jockeys are constantly pressured to maintain a minimal weight. Consequently this may result in unhealthy eating habits, dangerous weight control practices and compromised health. Research on the weight making practices of apprentice jockeys is scarce. In fact, there is currently no published data available on the South African apprentice jockey. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the dietary intake, energy availability and weight control practices of male apprentice jockeys residing at the South African Jockey Academy. METHODS Twenty one male flat jockey apprentices of different race groups, between the ages of 16 and 20 years were recruited to take part in this cross sectional observational study. Height, weight and body composition (body fat percentage and fat free mass) were measured. The apprentices completed a 59-item nutrition, health and lifestyle questionnaire including questions on weight control and weight making practices. Dietary intake was recorded with a 24-hour dietary recall on four non-consecutive days including a rest day, two training days, and a race day. On these days, exercise energy expenditure was also recorded with Actiheart© monitors with the aim to calculate energy availability. MAIN FINDINGS Total mean reported energy intake of the participants was 7088±2337kJ (35.5±12.5kcal/kg fat free mass [FFM]) and below the recommendations for athletes exercising several hours per day for most days of the week. The micronutrient intakes of the majority of these jockeys were also low (i.e. <67% of recommended intake). Mean calculated energy availability (EA) over two training days and one rest day was 27.1±16.7 kcal/kg FFM and regarded as low (i.e.<30kcal/kg/FFM). Furthermore, the majority of apprentices (88%) had a low EA on the training days. Ninety one percent of the jockeys reported the use of one or more weight control method including food avoidance (81%), restricting food intake and skipping meals (67%), exercising to sweat (48%) and using the sauna (43%). The top three reported side effects from making weight included thirst (80%), hunger (75%) and tiredness (75%). CONCLUSION In conclusion, the results of the present study showed that the majority of South African apprentice jockeys are practicing weight control methods, specifically restricting energy and food intake, to control their weight. This was supported by the mean low dietary energy intake and sub-optimal mean energy availability. These apprentice jockeys are therefore at risk for long-term health consequences including low bone mineral density. / MSc (Nutrition), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

INTRODUCTION Professional jockeys are considered elite sportsmen competing in a sport with certain weight restrictions. Horse racing is categorized as a “weight-making” sport where jockeys can benefit from attaining and/or maintaining a specific weight for competition. The minimum riding weight for professional jockeys and apprentice jockeys who are race riding is currently 52 kg. The lighter the jockey (i.e. the closer he can remain to the minimum weight of 52 kg) the more rides may be allocated to him (and the more money he will earn). This places a great deal of pressure on the jockey to maintain a low body weight, in order to attain rides. Unlike other weight category sports, horse riding does not have an “off season”, therefore jockeys are constantly pressured to maintain a minimal weight. Consequently this may result in unhealthy eating habits, dangerous weight control practices and compromised health. Research on the weight making practices of apprentice jockeys is scarce. In fact, there is currently no published data available on the South African apprentice jockey. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the dietary intake, energy availability and weight control practices of male apprentice jockeys residing at the South African Jockey Academy. METHODS Twenty one male flat jockey apprentices of different race groups, between the ages of 16 and 20 years were recruited to take part in this cross sectional observational study. Height, weight and body composition (body fat percentage and fat free mass) were measured. The apprentices completed a 59-item nutrition, health and lifestyle questionnaire including questions on weight control and weight making practices. Dietary intake was recorded with a 24-hour dietary recall on four non-consecutive days including a rest day, two training days, and a race day. On these days, exercise energy expenditure was also recorded with Actiheart© monitors with the aim to calculate energy availability. MAIN FINDINGS Total mean reported energy intake of the participants was 7088±2337kJ (35.5±12.5kcal/kg fat free mass [FFM]) and below the recommendations for athletes exercising several hours per day for most days of the week. The micronutrient intakes of the majority of these jockeys were also low (i.e. <67% of recommended intake). Mean calculated energy availability (EA) over two training days and one rest day was 27.1±16.7 kcal/kg FFM and regarded as low (i.e.<30kcal/kg/FFM). Furthermore, the majority of apprentices (88%) had a low EA on the training days. Ninety one percent of the jockeys reported the use of one or more weight control method including food avoidance (81%), restricting food intake and skipping meals (67%), exercising to sweat (48%) and using the sauna (43%). The top three reported side effects from making weight included thirst (80%), hunger (75%) and tiredness (75%). CONCLUSION In conclusion, the results of the present study showed that the majority of South African apprentice jockeys are practicing weight control methods, specifically restricting energy and food intake, to control their weight. This was supported by the mean low dietary energy intake and sub-optimal mean energy availability. These apprentice jockeys are therefore at risk for long-term health consequences including low bone mineral density. / MSc (Nutrition), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

No description available.

Thesis (M.A. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (M.A. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (M.A. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

No description available.

Background: Achilles tendinopathy is a common and debilitating condition among female ballet dancers due to the large repetitive loading forces placed on their Achilles tendons during rehearsals and performances. Tendon health problems in females are exacerbated by a lack of understanding about how energy availability influences tendons. Ballet dancers, as aesthetic athletes, are vulnerable to low energy availability and can enter a spectrum disorder, relative energy deficiency in sport, that consists of low energy availability (with or without disordered eating), menstrual cycle dysfunction, and low bone mineral density (BMD). Aims: 1) To investigate the relationship between insufficient caloric intake and Achilles tendon health in pre-professional ballet dancers. 2) To evaluate if symptoms of relative energy deficiency in sport such as low BMD and menstrual irregularity can be matched with Achilles tendon structural damage in pre-professional ballet dancers. 3) To analyze if there is a relationship between BMD and nutrition in pre-professional ballet dancers. Methods: 30 pre-professional ballet dancers were recruited. Over the course of a 16-week training and performance period, the dancers underwent four ultrasound imaging sessions and two MRI sessions investigating their Achilles tendons. They also underwent one full body DXA scan and completed four ASA24 dietary recall surveys. The dancers additionally filled out questionnaires describing their menstrual history and current Achilles tendon health. At the end of the study, dancers were organized into calorie sufficiency groups (sufficient or insufficient). Results: Within both calorie groups, the Achilles tendon was significantly thicker at the end of the study as compared to the start of the study (p=.046). Within both calorie groups, echogenicity was significantly higher at the first two ultrasound imaging sessions than it was at the last two (p<.05). Additionally, the calorie sufficient group's tendons had a significantly higher echogenicity than the calorie insufficient group at the first two ultrasound imaging sessions (p<.05). There were significantly more dancers in the calorie insufficient group that experienced changes to their menstrual cycle (p=.007). Conclusion: Participants in the calorie sufficient group had significantly more hyperechoic tendons than those in the calorie insufficient group at the start of the study, and all participants saw a significant drop in tendon echogenicity halfway through the study. The results of this study suggest that a better understanding of how average caloric intake affects tendon health in dancers is necessary in order to help treat and prevent AT injuries in this dance population.

No description available.

Physically active females, or female athletes, are at risk for the condition knownas the female athlete triad (Triad). The Triad is made up of three components that are distinctly separate, but intertwined: consuming inadequate energy for how much they are exercising, poor bone health, and problems with their menstrual periods. When female athletes don’t consume enough energy for how much they exercise, there can be hormonal imbalances, causing the body to conserve energy from some important functions including menstruation, and increased bone turnover resulting in a higher risk of stress fractures and early osteoporosis. Female athletes at risk for the Triad have ahigher risk of being injured, and don’t have the energy that they need to perform physically. To combat the Triad, we performed assessments to see how many female athletes were at risk for the Triad in Division I female athletes, and were surprised at the high number that were at risk for the Triad. We provided nutrition information and interventions aimed to decrease female athlete’s risk for the Triad. We also developed anew, quick method for female athletes, or busy individuals, to track their diet using the video feature on their cell phones. The benefits of providing nutrition information to the female athletes included: increasing their knowledge about the Triad, and things that they could do to prevent the Triad. The interventions did cause behavior change in some female athletes to increase how much energy they were consuming, decreasing their risk for the Triad.