Dietary intake of recreational cyclists: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the dietary intake of recreational cyclists. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 34 recreational cyclists of both sexes, aged between 20 and 59 years, from Western Bahia, who had practiced cycling for over a year. Food intake was evaluated by performing two sets of 24-hour food recall. The data of nutrient intake were compared with the existing recommendations for the sport and the Dietary Reference Intakes for micronutrient. Results: Women had low intake of carbohydrates and lipids, while men had low intake of carbohydrates. Cyclists of both sexes had low intake of dietary fiber. As regards micronutrient intake, men had prevalence of inadequacy higher than 50% for calcium, magnesium, selenium, vitamin A, and vitamin E intake. Meanwhile, women had high prevalence of inadequacy calcium, magnesium, selenium, vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, and vitamin E intake. Conclusion:Our data show that recreational cyclists tend to have inadequate dietary intake, which can influence their health and sports performance.