The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-12-25
THE DIET OF ATHLETES.

Additions to American Experience by
British Observers-What Rowers,
Footballers and Sandow Eat.
Not the least interesting of the long
series of dietary studies by Professor
AtWater and his fellow-workers are
those of university boat crews. They
are studies of men in good athletic
training, brought into that condition by
carefully and sl1illfully regulated exer-
else and proper dieting, and who at
the time of the studies were doing Sc
we're athletic work. 1t is matter not
only of interest but Of practical impor-
lance to understand the food require
ments of such individuals, and the
work done by Atwater and Bryant goes
far toward supplying that knowledge.
Athletic work essentially differs from
| laborers' work in that it is very severe
but of short duration. The laborer is
adapted for a sustained exertion, the
athlete for short but severe eXertion.
1t may be taken that the essential for
an athlete is to have very ample en-
ergy-liberating mechanism-muscle-
capable of rapidly converting all avail
able energy-producing material (nutri-
menD into work, While on the other
hand the essential for the actively
worked laborer is not so much highly
developed liberating mechanism as a
large store of energy-producing materi-
al. 1t is common knowledge that la
borers are not good athletes, and that
athletes are not good laborers. The
training Of the two classes is essential
ly different.
To what extent the food requirements
of the two classes differ is well shown
by the investigations of Atwater and
Bryant Seven studies were made, four
on Harvard university crews, two on
Yale university crews, and one on the
captain Of one of the Harvard crews.
The observations were made under
somewhat unfavorable conditions. but
the authors, with the assistance Of fell
workers, seem to have overcome all
difficulties, and have recorded thor
oughly trustworthy results. The inves-
LEGATION entailed an unusually large
amount of chemical ANALYSIS. The re-
suits of these seven studies show that
the food consumed by these athletes
contained a daily average of 1855 grams
u DIOttlu, III VI Jlli anu tfu VI ttl bb~
hydrate, and had an average daily en-
ergy value of 4,0S5 calories, The prom
inent characteristic Of such a dietary is
the large amount of proteid. The ener,
gy value is equal to that of q diet for
fairly severe labor, the proteid is suffi-
cient for more severe labor than that
of nergy. That this is normal fea-
ture of an tthlete's diet is shown in the
bulletin by comparison with the few
trustworthy studies of athletes dieta-
ries previously published.
Sandow in training has been found
to eat 244 grams of proteid daily, a
was found to eat 278 !
grams and the members of two foot
ball teams were found to eat on an av-
arage ISL and 270 grams daily. The en-
argy value Of the diets of the boat |
crews is in excess of that of the aver
age dietaries of similar young men, but
IS not so largely in excess as the pro-
.eid is. Students residing in college
clubs have been found to eat a diet
With an energy value of $500 calories,
md proteid value Of 107 grams. The
energy value of the athletes diets is
only 10 per cent. more than thh stu
1ents diet, but the proteid value of the
athletes diet is 45 per cent. more than
he students diet. Atwater, by a care
I'll argument, shows that this large use
If proteid is not a mere coincidence,
1ut is to satisfy ana ctual physiological
iced, though he is not able fully to ex-
lain this special need for proteid by
-thletes. 1t may be an excessive call
or repair and development of muscle.
r it may be to satisfy the special
wants of the nervous system to com
'ensate for the great nervous strain "
London British Medical Journal.