The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1901-02-06
THE DIET OF ATHLETES.
Additions to American Experience by
British observers.

Additions to American experience Dy
British observers.
Not the least interesting of the long Sc
ries of dietary studies by Prof. Atwater
and his fellow workers are those of uni
yersity boat crews. They are studies
of men in good athletic training, brought
into that condition by carefully and skill
fully regulated exercise, and proper diet
ing, and who at the time of the studies
were doing severe athletic work 1t is
a matter not only of interest but of prac-
teal Importance to understand the food
requirements of such individuals, and the
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 eXeftion. 1t may be TAX
en- that the essential for an athlete is to
have a very ample energy-liberating
mechanism-muscle capable of RAPIDLY
converting all available energy-producing
material (nutriment into work. while on
the other hand the essential for the ac-
tively-worked laborer is not so much a
hlghly-developed liberatIng mechanism
as large store of energy-producing ma
terlal. 1t is common knowledge that Ia
borers are not good athletes. and that
athletes are not good laborers. The
training Of the two classes is essentially
different.
To what extent the food requirements
OF the two classes differ is we'll shown
by the Investigations of Atwater and
bfya4t. Seven studies We're made, four
on Harvard university crews, two on
Yale university crews, and one on the
captain of one of the Harvard crews.
Ihe observations were made under some
what unfavorable conditions. but the au-
thors, with the assistance of fellow work
ers, seem to have overcome all difficult
n ~ yC In1 ~, IL
worthy results. The investigation en-
tailed an unusually large amount of
| chemical analysis. The results of these
seven studies show that the food con-
sumed by these athletes contained a daily
average of 100 grams of proteid. 1T of
fat and 44O of carbohydrate, and had
an average daily energy value of 1855 ca
| tories. The prominent characteristic of
such a dietary is the large amount of
proteld. The energy value is equal to
| that of a diet for fairly severe labor, the
proteid is sufficient for more severe labor
NAL feature of an athletes diet is shown
in the bulletin by comparison with the
few trustworthy studies of athletes die
taries previously published.
Sandow in training has been found to
eat IA grams of proteid daily, prize
tighter was found to eat 27S grams, and
the members of two football teams were
found to eat on an average 1S1 and 27O
grams daily The energy value of the
diets of the boat crews is in excess of
that of the average dietaries of similar
young men, but is not SO largely in ex-
cess as the proteid is. Students residing
| in college clubs have been found to eat
a diet with an energy value of $500 ca
| tories, and proteid value of 107 grams
The energy value of the athletes diets
IS only 10 per cent. more than the stu
dents diet. but the proteid value of the
athletes diet is 40 per cent. more than
the students diet. Atwater, by care
full argument, shows that this large use
of proteid is not a mere coincidence, but
is to satisfy an actual physiological need,
though he is not able fully to explain
this special need for proteid by athletes.
It may be an excessive call for repair
and development of muscle, or it may be
to satisfy the special wants Of the nerv-
Gus system to compensate for the great
nervous strain. London British Med
zeal Journal