Nutrition Assessment of College Wrestlers

Abstract

In brief: The authors used diet recall, a food record, a written test, interviews, questionnaires, and anthropometry to examine the nutrition and weight-control practices and knowledge of 42 wrestlers from two college teams. Data were collected before, during, and after the wrestling season. During the season, many of the wrestlers did not meet two thirds of the recommended dietary allowance for calories, protein, vitamins C, A, B₆, and thiamine, iron, zinc, and magnesium, though their diets were more adequate before and after the season. The wrestlers, who lacked a good understanding of nutrition, relied primarily on food restriction and dehydration to lose weight; some also used vomiting, laxatives, and diuretics.