Energy expenditure and dietary intake in professional football players in the Dutch Premier League: Implications for nutritional counselling

ABSTRACT

Selecting effective dietary strategies for professional football players requires comprehensive information on their energy expenditure (EE) and dietary intake. This observational study aimed to assess EE and dietary intake over a 14-day period in a representative group (n = 41) of professional football players playing in the Dutch Premier League (Eredivisie). Daily EE, as assessed by doubly labelled water, was 13.8 ± 1.5 MJ/day, representing a physical activity level (PAL) of 1.75 ± 0.13. Weighted mean energy intake (EI), as assessed by three face-to-face 24-h recalls, was 11.1 ± 2.9 MJ/day, indicating 18 ± 15% underreporting of EI. Daily EI was higher on match days (13.1 ± 4.1 MJ) compared with training (11.1 ± 3.4 MJ; P < 0.01) and rest days (10.5 ± 3.1 MJ; P < 0.001). Daily carbohydrate intake was significantly higher during match days (5.1 ± 1.7 g/kg body mass (BM)) compared with training (3.9 ± 1.5 g/kg BM; P < 0.001) and rest days (3.7 ± 1.4 g/kg BM; P < 0.001). Weighted mean protein intake was 1.7 ± 0.5 g/kg BM. Daytime distribution of protein intake was skewed, with lowest intakes at breakfast and highest at dinner. In conclusion, daily EE and PAL of professional football players are modest. Daily carbohydrate intake should be increased to maximize performance and recovery. Daily protein intake seems more than adequate, but could be distributed more evenly throughout the day.     

Responsiveness of the anterior cruciate ligament – Return to Sports after Injury (ACL-RSI) and Injury – Psychological Readiness to Return to Sport (I-PRRS) scales

ABSTRACT

The ACL-Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) and Injury-Psychological Readiness to Return to Sport (I-PRRS) scales were developed to assess psychological factors associated with return to sports. Validity and reliability have been determined. The aim of this study was to investigate the responsiveness of the Dutch ACL-RSI and I-PRRS. Seventy patients with ACL reconstruction completed both scales twice 2 months apart, plus a Global Rating of Change (GRC) questionnaire. Distribution and logistic regression-based methods were used to study responsiveness. The Standardized Response Mean (SRM) for the ACL-RSI was 0.3 and for the I-PRRS 0.1, indicating low responsiveness. The minimally important change (MIC) for ACL-RSI was 2.6 and for the I-PRRS 0.9. Since the standard error of measurement (SEM) and smallest detectable change (SDC) were larger than MIC in individual patients, it does not seem possible to distinguish minimally important changes from measurement error in individual patients with either scale. At the group level responsiveness seemed sufficient; hence, both scales can be used to investigate the effectiveness of an intervention at the group level. Both scales can also be used in cross-sectional research and in clinical practice as screening instruments to identify patients at risk of not returning to sports.     

A comparison of muscle activity and 1-RM strength of three chest-press exercises with different stability requirements

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare one-repetition maximum (1-RM) and muscle activity in three chest-press exercises with different stability requirements (Smith machine, barbell, and dumbbells). Twelve healthy, resistance-trained males (age 22.7 ± 1.7 years, body mass 78.6 ± 7.6 kg, stature 1.80 ± 0.06 m) were tested for 1-RM of the three chest-press exercises in counterbalanced order with 3–5 days of rest between the exercises. One-repetition maximum and electromyographic activity of the pectoralis major, deltoid anterior, biceps, and triceps brachii were recorded in the exercises. The dumbbell load was 14% less than that for the Smith machine (P ≤ 0.001, effect size [ES] = 1.05) and 17% less than that for the barbell (P ≤ 0.001, ES = 1.11). The barbell load was ～3% higher than that for the Smith machine (P = 0.016, ES = 0.18). Electrical activity in the pectoralis major and anterior deltoid did not differ during the lifts. Electrical activity in the biceps brachii increased with stability requirements (i.e. Smith machine <barbell <dumbbells; P ≤ 0.005; ES = 0.57, 1.46, and 2.00, respectively), while triceps brachii activity was reduced using dumbbells versus barbell (P = 0.007, ES = 0.73) and dumbbells versus Smith machine (P = 0.003, ES = 0.62). In conclusion, high stability requirements in the chest press (dumbbells) result in similar (pectoralis major and anterior deltoid), lower (triceps brachii) or higher (biceps brachii) muscle activity. These findings have implications for athletic training and rehabilitation.     

PART VI: NUTRITION

Food intake of Kalenjin runners in Kenya: A field study.     

A response to David Kirk: personal/professional views from US authors

This paper represents the views of two scholars in the USA with respect to the scholar lecture presented by David Kirk at the 2012 BERA – Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy (PESP) Special Interest Group meeting. We discuss how two unique features of the American universities have an impact on both the corporate nature of our work and our scholarship. These features are described as ‘the notion of outreach scholarship’ and the ‘nature of giving.’ In addition, we discuss our different situations and how they affect our ability to do the best academic work. We can, and by consequence, give our best efforts to resist the hegemony of corporatization.     

Peer Assessment Training in Teacher Education: Effects on performance and perceptions

The implementation of peer assessment receives much attention in teacher education. This paper reports the effects of peer assessment training on the performance of student teachers. Ninety-three student teachers were randomly assigned to control groups and experimental groups. The experimental groups were trained in defining performance criteria, giving feedback and writing assessment reports. This was done through peer assessment tasks that were embedded in a redesigned course. Analyses of data derived from peer assessment reports written by the students showed that the experimental groups surpassed the control groups in the quality of the assessment skill. As a result of the training, students from the experimental groups also scored significantly higher grades for the end products of the course than students from the control groups. The results of the questionnaire showed that all students were significantly more satisfied with the redesigned course.     

Promoting historical contextualisation in classrooms: an observational study

The aim of this observational study is to explore how history teachers promote historical contextualisation in their lessons. Historical contextualisation is the ability to situate phenomena and individuals’ actions in the context of time, historical location, long-term developments, or specific events to give meaning to these phenomena and actions. Using the Framework for Analysing the Teaching of Historical Contextualisation (FAT-HC), five trained raters observed eight history teachers twice. To further analyse the observation scores, the FAT-HC items were divided into eight categories while distinguishing between items that demonstrate historical contextualisation and items focusing on engaging students in historical contextualisation processes. The results indicate that the teachers in the sample did not explicitly promote historical contextualisation in their lessons. No teacher obtained a mean FAT-HC score >2.00 on a four-point scale. The teachers mainly demonstrated historical contextualisation, while engaging students in historical contextualisation processes was observed far less often. The findings can be used to help teachers formulate domain-specific instruction to promote students’ ability to perform historical contextualisation.     

Service Learning Pedagogies to Promote Student Learning in Occupational Therapy Education

The centrality of service learning in the development of students’ professional practice has received worldwide attention. Exposure to appropriately designed service learning experience determines the acquisition of graduate attributes. This article addresses a study in which the key question was: What methods and strategies do students and their clinical supervisors find beneficial in improving their learning experiences during service learning placements? Drawing on the views and experiences of a group of final year occupational therapy (OT) students and their supervisors, the initial focus is on concepts in learning relevant to service learning and professional development, including Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (ZPD), the capability approach and collaborative and peer assisted learning. This is followed by an overview of the methodology and an analysis of the students’ and clinical supervisors’ experiences during service learning. The discussion focuses on the implications of the study findings for practice within a service learning context to enhance the alignment of institutional practices with students’ needs.     

Maximising meaning: creating a learning environment for reading comprehension of informative texts from a Vygotskian perspective

Sociocultural theories based on the work of Vygotsky have been increasingly influential in educational sciences. Developmental education (DE) is a pedagogical approach based on Vygotskian theory that has inspired primary schools in the Netherlands to change the learning environment innovatively in a comprehensive way. In this article, we focus on the learning environment for reading comprehension of informative texts in upper-primary grade classrooms in DE. Our aim is to contribute to a more profound understanding of the characteristics of learning environments that are inspired by a Vygotskian approach and that are conducive to reading comprehension of informative texts. Five fourth-grade expert DE teachers participated in a multiple case study aimed at describing and analysing these characteristics for the domain of reading informative texts. Data were collected over a period of six to eight weeks for each teacher and consisted of videotaped interviews, classroom observations and documents. We conclude that DE learning environments are focused on maximising meaning from text for students. This is achieved by organising learning on the basis of emergent goals within students’ participation in sociocultural practices.     

Vocational education and the binary higher education system in the Netherlands: higher education symbiosis or vocational education dichotomy?

The Netherlands has a binary higher education system in which academic education and higher professional education at EQF levels 5–8 co-exist. There is also secondary vocational education at EQF levels 1 up to 4. In this paper, I analyse policy documents resulting from the Bologna Process and argue that under neo-liberal conditions, higher professional education brings opportunities for both students and employers, but also creates a socio-economic tension in terms of employability. The gap between higher professional education and secondary vocational education adds to the formation of a labour market in which higher professional education graduates are prepared to an international labour market but employability pressure is being put on lower skilled employees, creating unequal employability opportunities for vocational education graduates.