Author(s): HIROMATSU, C., NAMMA-MOTONAGA, K., KAMEI, A., KITAMURA, H., ONISHI, T., KUBOTA, J. , Institution: JAPAN HIGH PERFORMANCE SPORT CENTER, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 664

INTRODUCTION:
Esports athletes are at a higher risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome, which are associated with cardiovascular disease in the younger population (1, 2). Therefore, appropriate energy intake matched to physical activity level is important for maintaining and improving health in esports athletes.To evaluate changes in energy and macronutrients intake following a single nutrition seminar for elite esports athletes designed to promote intake commensurate with individual physical activity levels.
METHODS:
Nine elite male esports athletes (age, 29.6±5.5 years; height, 171.7±6.0 cm; weight, 76.3±22.0 kg) had buffet-style lunch, and subsequently participated in a 90 min nutrition seminar. During the seminar, participants calculated their individual recommended energy and macronutrients intake commensurate based on individual physique and physical activity levels, and compared these values with their lunch intake prior to the seminar. After the seminar, participants had a dinner of the same style as lunch. Both lunch and dinner were served with nutrition facts, and participants freely selected dishes and their amount. The individual energy and macronutrients intake at both meals were evaluated using an image-recognition-based nutritional value evaluation system (mellon II, JISS, Tokyo) immediately after participants selected dished.
RESULTS:
Protein intake at lunch (59.4±13.9 g) was significantly higher than the recommended protein intake per meal (38.8±9.6 g, P=0.018), whereas no significant difference was observed at dinner (49.5±29.9 g, P=0.248). Energy, carbohydrate and fat intake did not significantly differ from recommended values at either meal. In addition, participants showed a wide range of body mass index (BMI, 16.0-36.6 kg/m²) and body fat percentage (%BF, 12.5-42.8%) . Both BMI (r=0.762, P=0.017) and %BF (r=0.787, P=0.012) were positively correlated with the rate of change in energy intake from lunch to dinner.
CONCLUSION:
Buffet-style meals in elite esports athletes resulted in protein intake exceeding recommended per meal value. However, a single nutrition seminar may enable esports athletes to adjust protein intake per meal closer to individual recommended intake. Further research should examine the long-term effects of nutritional education specifically tailored for esports athletes, who are at higher risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome.
REFERENCES
1. Law et al. Curr Sports Med Rep, 22, 224-229, 2023
2. Nikolopoulou et al. Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther, 10, 933-939, 2012