Energy Status and Diets of Dancers
Author Information
Author(s): Rigoli Alessandra, Dang Emily, Michael Victoria, Gifford Janelle, Davies Alyse, Nieman David C.
Primary Institution: The University of Sydney
Hypothesis
What is the energy status and dietary intake of pre-professional and professional dancers?
Conclusion
Dancers often do not consume enough energy and nutrients to meet their physical demands, which can lead to health issues.
Supporting Evidence
- Dancers often consume only 70-80% of their energy requirements.
- Pre-professional dancers frequently experience negative energy balance.
- Professional dancers have lower BMI and body fat percentages compared to pre-professional dancers.
- Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly in iron and calcium, are common among dancers.
- High training volumes and restricted dietary intake can lead to low energy availability.
Takeaway
Dancers need to eat enough food to stay healthy and perform well, but many don't get the nutrition they need.
Methodology
A scoping review of 12 studies on the energy status and dietary intake of pre-professional and professional dancers.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reported dietary intake and underrepresentation of male dancers.
Limitations
The review primarily focused on ballet dancers, limiting generalizability to other dance genres.
Participant Demographics
Participants included pre-professional and professional dancers, primarily female, aged 11 to 42 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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