Lategan, R.Benadie, Lourika2016-09-092016-09-092016-01http://hdl.handle.net/11660/4066English: Endurance exercise has recently become more popular, but requires optimal hydration to ensure peak performance. The human body regulates fluid homeostasis as long as food and fluids are available. As soon as an athlete starts to train, muscle exertion and environmental factors challenge the ability of the human body to regulate fluid homeostasis. A weight loss of more than two percent during exercise has been linked to changes in haemorheology, metabolic dysregulation, heat intolerance, cardiovascular strain, and the subsequent inability to maintain exercise workload. In this study the hydration knowledge and practices of long distance runners in the South African National Defence Force was determined in relation to current hydration recommendations. The study followed a descriptive, observational design, using a self-reporting questionnaire and anthropometric measurements as data collection techniques. Of the 144 participants included in the study, the majority was black (40.5%) males (80.5%), mostly from the Western Cape (47.7%), who works as operators (51.9%). Participants had a mean age of 40 (±8.636 SD) years. According to the body mass index (BMI), four (3.2%) participants were underweight, 36.0% overweight/obese and 60.8% had a normal weigh, with no significant difference between the mean BMI of half and full marathon (p=0.0601). With more than a third of athletes being overweight/obese, athletes need to be informed regarding the health implications of being overweight or obese, as well as the impact of overweight and obesity during endurance exercise on performance. Reported race experience, ranged between 13 and 365 months. A mean weight loss of 0.002 kg (±0.404 SD) was recorded between registration and pre-race, with the largest weight loss being 0.8 kg and the most weight gained 3.5 kg. Nearly half (42%, n=55) of participants for whom body weight was measured before and after the race lost 2% or more of their body weight during the race. A maximum weight loss of 4.2 kg was measured during the race, which equalled a body weight loss of 6.36%. This put the athletes at risk for serious health risks and implicates that athletes need to be educated regarding the dangers of fluid losses during activity. With regard to hydration knowledge, 66.0% of participants obtain hydration knowledge mainly from reading books and magazines and 94 (65.3%) participants indicated that they read labels on sports drinks, focussing mostly on carbohydrate level. Athletes need to be counselled to focus on electrolyte levels as well. Although the majority (73.8%) of participants knew that fluid influences performance, 20 (13.9%) were not able to indicate why weight loss occurs during marathon participation and 38.9% were uncertain whether urine colour influences physical performance. Although most participants had a reasonable good general knowledge regarding hydration, training is needed in important areas such as the effect fluid have on performance and how to assess hydration status using urine colour and weight change during training and competitions. Alarmingly 11.1% of participants were not able to report symptoms of dehydration, which is important to prevent heat-related illnesses. Athletes should be able to identify dehydration as well as over hydration early, understand the implications, and be equipped to restore hydration status in order to optimize performance. With regard to hydration practices nine participants (6.3%) indicated that they do not consume extra fluids before, during or after a race, which is a cause for concern considering the health risks associated with dehydration. Athletes need to be aware of the implication of not consuming sufficient amounts of fluids when participating in endurance events. Fourty one percent participants consumed extra fluids at least four hours before the race. For athletes participating in the half marathon, mean fluid intake was significantly higher than for the full marathon. There was however no significant difference in fluid intake per kilogram body weight between the half; and full marathon. Participants preferred energy drinks (32.6%) before a race and water during (28.5%) and after (21.5%) a race. Most participants (78.5%) relied solely on fluids provided by the race organisers and few (13.2%) carried fluids with them. The amount of fluid consumed depended mostly on environmental conditions (71.1%), with only 13.6% participants consuming more fluids due to dehydration cues. Most participants (61.8%) reported to drink according to thirst rather than to maintain weight or according to schedule and more than half (54.8%) reported that they never dehydrate during a race. More attention should be given to educate runners on how to monitor hydration status, emphasizing that thirst is not the only hydration cue and is not sufficient to prevent dehydration. Athletes should be taught how to use different techniques to assess hydration status and need to learn how to develop an appropriate individualized rehydration strategy comprising the amount as well as time of fluid intake.Afrikaans: Langafstand wedlope word meer gewild onder atlete, maar optimale hidrasie is noodsaaklik om optimale prestasie te verseker. Solank as wat vloeistof en voedsel beskikbaar is, reguleer die menslike liggaam vloeistofbalans, maar sodra ʼn atleet begin oefen, sal die werkende spier en omgewingsfaktore die vermoë van die menslike liggaam beproef om vloeistofbalans te reguleer. Massaverlies van meer as 2% tydens oefening veroorsaak veranderinge in bloedsamestelling, abnormale metaboliese werking, hitte onverdraagsaamheid, kardiovaskulêre stremming, asook die onvermoë om oefening vol te hou. Tydens die uitvoer van hierdie studie is die hidrasiekennis en -praktyke van soldate in die Suid Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag bepaal en vergelyk met bestaande riglyne. ‘n Beskrywende, waarnemingsstudie is uitgevoer en ʼn vraelys wat deur deelnemers self voltooi is, asook antropometriese metings is gebruik om data in te samel. Van die 144 deelnemers wat ingesluit is by die studie, was die meerderheid swart (40.5%) mans (80.5%), woonagtig in die Wes-Kaap (47.7%). Deelnemers het ‘n gemiddelde ouderdom van 40 jaar (±8.636 SD) gehad. Liggaamsmassa indeks (LMI) het aangedui dat vier (3.2%) deelnemers ondermassa was, 36.0% oormassa; en 60.8% het ‘n normale massastatus gehad. Daar was geen statistiese verskil tussen die gemiddelde LMI van atlete wat aan die halfmaraton en die volle maraton deelgeneem het nie (p=0.0601). Met meer as ‘n derde van die deelnemers oormassa/ vetsugtig, is dit belangrik om atlete in te lig oor die gesondheidsimplikasies van oormassa, asook die effek wat ekstra massa het op prestasie tydens uithou oefeninge. Wedloopondervinding van deelnemers het gewissel tussen 13 en 365 maande. ‘n Gemiddelde gewigsverlies van 0.002 kg (± 0.404 SD) is gemeet tussen wedstrydregistrasie en voor die wedloop, met die grootste verlies 0.8kg en die meeste massa opgetel 3.5 kg. Amper die helfte van deelnemers (42%, n=55) vir wie massa voor en na die wedloop gemeet is, het 2% of meer massa verloor tydens die wedren. ʼn Maksimum massaverlies van 4.2 kg is gemeet tydens die wedloop, wat ekwivalent is aan ʼn gewigsverlies van 6.36%. Hierdie vogverlies hou ʼn ernstige gesondheidsrisiko vir die atleet in en impliseer dat atlete ingelig moet word aangaande die gevare van vloeistofverliese tydens aktiwiteit. Indien na die hidrasiekennis van atlete gekyk word, het 66.0% van die deelnemers aangedui dat hul hidrasiekennis vanaf boeke en tydskrifte bekom en 94 (65.3%) van die deelnemers het aangedui dat hul etikette op sportdrankies lees. Deelnemers het aangedui dat hul veral oplet na die koolhidraatinhoud. Atlete behoort opgelei te word om ook aandag te gee aan die elektrolietinhoud van drankies. Alhoewel die meeste deelnemers (73.8%) bewus was dat vloeistofinname hul prestasie sal beïnvloed, was 20 (13.9%) deelnemers nie in staat om aan te dui waarom massaverlies tydens wedlope plaasvind nie en 38.9% was onseker of urienkleur ‘n invloed op fisiese prestasie sal hê. Alhoewel die meeste deelnemers ‘n redelike goeie algemene kennis oor hidrasie gehad het, is opleiding steeds nodig aangaande die invloed wat vloeistof op prestasie het en hoe om hidrasiestatus te bepaal deur urienkleur en gewigsveranderinge tydens oefening en kompetisies te gebruik. Dit is ontstellend dat 11.1% van die atlete nie in staat was om die simptome van dehidrasie aan te dui nie. Atlete behoort in staat te wees om die verskillende simptome van oor- sowel as dehidrasie te kan onderskei ten einde optimale prestasie te verseker. Wat hidrasiepraktyke betref, het nege deelnemers (6.3%) aangedui dat hul geen ekstra vloeistowwe voor, tydens of na ‘n wedloop gebruik nie, wat uiters gevaarlik is wanneer die gesondheidsimplikasies geassosieer met dehidrasie in ag geneem word. Atlete moet bewus wees van die implikasies van onvoldoende vloeistofinname tydens uithou-wedlope. 41% van die deelnemers het ekstra vloeistowwe ten minste vier ure voor die wedloop ingeneem. Vir atlete wat aan die halfmaraton deelgeneem het, was die gemiddelde vloeistofinname statisties meer as vir atlete wat aan die volle maraton deelgeneem het. Daar was egter geen betekenisvolle verskil in vloeistofinname per kilogram liggaamsmassa tussen die half- en die volle maraton nie. Deelnemers het energiedrankies (32.6%) voor deelname en water tydens (28.5%) en na deelname (21.5%) verkies. Die meeste deelnemers (78.5%) het staatgemaak op vloeistowwe wat deur die wedlooporganiseerders verskaf word en slegs ʼn paar (13.2%) het vloeistof saam met hul gedra. Die hoeveelheid vloeistof wat ingeneem word, het meestal afgehang van omgewingstoestande (71.1%) met slegs 13.6% van deelnemers wat meer vloeistowwe ingeneem het as gevolg van dehidrasie tekens. Die meeste deelnemers (61.8%) het aangedui dat hul vloeistowwe drink volgens dorssensasie, eerder as wat hul poog om massa te handhaaf of volgens ʼn bepaalde skedule vloeistof drink. Meer as die helfte (54.8%) het aangedui dat hul nooit tydens ʼn wedloop dehidreer nie. Meer nadruk is nodig om atlete op te lei oor hoe om hidrasiestatus te monitor, met die klem daarop dat dors nie die enigste hidrasieteken is nie en ook nie voldoende is om dehidrasie te voorkom nie. Atlete moet opgelei word hoe om verskillende tegnieke te gebruik om hidrasiestatus te bepaal asook hoe om ʼn eie, geïndividualiseerde rehidrasie strategie saam te stel wat die hoeveelheid sowel as die tydsberekening van vloeistofinname insluit.enDissertation (M.Sc. Dietetics (Nutrition and Dietetics)--University of the Free State, 2016Athletes--NutritionEndurance sportsHydrationSouth Africa. National Defence ForceDissertationUniversity of the Free State