Do paralympic track and field athletes have low energy availability?

Abstract One of the greatest challenges when working with athletes is to achieve the energy demands for physiological processes and exercise expenditure. The aim of this study was to assess the energy availability (EA) of Paralympic track and field athletes (sprinters). Seventeen athletes (9 male and 8 female) with visual impairment (VI, n=10), cerebral palsy (CP, n=4) and limb deficiency (LD, n=3) were assessed for energy intake (EI) (4-day food photographic record), energy expenditure with exercise (EEex) (motion sensor), and body composition (skinfolds method). Energy availability was estimated using the equation: EA = (EIkcal - EEexkcal) / fat-free mass (FFM) / day, and values ≤ 30kcal/kgFFM/day were considered as low energy availability (LEA). EEex varied from 130 to 477kcal/h and athletes trained in average for 3.2 hours per day. Mean EA for VI, LD and CP were 36 (2.19), 37 (1.90) and 38 (3.38) kcal/kgFFM/day, respectively. Most (82.3%) participants presented EA below ≥ 45kcal/kgFFM/day, throughout the days, which are the recommended values for athletes without disability. Athletes should be encouraged to consume adequate EA to avoid consequences related to low energy availability. There is need of further research to identify cut-off values adequate for this population.

摘要 与运动员开展研究时，最大的挑战之一便是满足其生理活动与运动消耗的能量需求。本研究旨在评估残奥会田径运动员（短跑选手）的能量可获得性（Energy Availability, EA）。本研究对17名运动员（男9名、女8名）展开评估，这些运动员分别患有视觉障碍（Visual Impairment, VI，n=10）、脑瘫（Cerebral Palsy, CP，n=4）与肢体缺失（Limb Deficiency, LD，n=3）；其能量摄入（Energy Intake, EI）通过4天食物摄影记录法采集，运动能量消耗（Exercise Energy Expenditure, EEex）借助运动传感器测定，身体成分则采用皮褶厚度法检测。能量可获得性通过下述公式估算：EA = (摄入热量千卡数 - 运动消耗热量千卡数) / 无脂体重（Fat-Free Mass, FFM) / 每日；当EA值≤30千卡/千克无脂体重·日时，即被判定为低能量可获得性（Low Energy Availability, LEA）。运动能量消耗介于130至477千卡/小时之间，受试者日均训练时长为3.2小时。视觉障碍、肢体缺失与脑瘫组的平均EA分别为36(2.19)、37(1.90)及38(3.38)千卡/千克无脂体重·日。多数（82.3%）受试者在整个观测周期内的EA值低于非残疾运动员推荐的45千卡/千克无脂体重·日。应鼓励运动员摄入充足的能量可获得性，以规避低能量可获得性相关的不良后果。未来仍需开展进一步研究，以确定适配该人群的能量可获得性临界值。