Overview
As sports have become more competitive over recent years researchers and trainers have been searching for new and innovative ways of improving performance. Ironically, an area as mundane as what an athlete eats can have profound effects on fitness, health and ultimately, performance in competition. Sports have also gained widespread acceptance in the therapeutic management of athletes with disorders associated with nutritional status. In addition, exercise has been one of the tools used for studying the control of metabolism, creating a wealth of scientific information that needs to be placed in the context of sports medicine and science.
Nutrition in Sport provides an exhaustive review of the biochemistry and physiology of eating.
The text is divided into three sections and commences with a discussion of the essential elements of diet, including sections on carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and trace elements, and drugs associated with nutrition. It also discusses athletes requiring special consideration, including vegetarians and diabetics.
The second section considers the practical aspects of sports nutrition and discusses weight control (essential for sports with weight categories and athletes with eating disorders), the travelling athlete (where travel either disrupts established feeding patterns or introduces new hazards), environmental aspects of nutrition (including altitude and heat), and the role of sports nutritional products.
Synopsis
Nutrition in sport presents the most comprehensive coverage available regarding the relationship of nutrients to the performance of physical exercise and to success in competitive sport.
Virginia Overdorf
This is a comprehensive book on sports nutrition ranging from basic science to sport specific applications that can assist athletes in reaching their full potential. The range of topics by professionals who are outstanding in their area makes this book both impressive and an outstanding resource. Some of the pictures are wonderfully illustrative of particular points. The main purpose is to provide an encyclopedic approach to the breadth of topics (including the underlying science and its practical applications) that impact performance of the aspiring elite athlete in training and competition. This book is targeted for those in the exercise sciences, nutritionists, and dieticians. Additionally, sports physicians and informed coaches and athletes would find it to be an invaluable resource. This book is organized into four parts: an overview of the basic science related to sport nutrition; special considerations, including the female athlete and diabetic athlete; several practical topics such as eating disorders, sports nutrition products, and overtraining; and specific applications of sports nutrition considerations across a spectrum of sports from racquet sports and swimming to cycling and weight category sports. The organization of the book is excellent, proceeding from the basic science to its application. The ease with which information can be found is another strong feature. Several typos in one of the chapters (39) are distracting. This book is unique, and the first of its type that I have seen. It will be a useful resource for professionals in many different disciplines. Because it is the first book of its type, there are no grounds for comparison.
Editorials
From the Publisher
‘A necessary addition to the multidisciplinary professional’s library.’ Sport Health
From The Critics
Reviewer: Virginia Overdorf, EdD(William Patterson University)Description: This is a comprehensive book on sports nutrition ranging from basic science to sport specific applications that can assist athletes in reaching their full potential. The range of topics by professionals who are outstanding in their area makes this book both impressive and an outstanding resource. Some of the pictures are wonderfully illustrative of particular points.
Purpose: The main purpose is to provide an encyclopedic approach to the breadth of topics (including the underlying science and its practical applications) that impact performance of the aspiring elite athlete in training and competition.
Audience: This book is targeted for those in the exercise sciences, nutritionists, and dieticians. Additionally, sports physicians and informed coaches and athletes would find it to be an invaluable resource.
Features: This book is organized into four parts: an overview of the basic science related to sport nutrition; special considerations, including the female athlete and diabetic athlete; several practical topics such as eating disorders, sports nutrition products, and overtraining; and specific applications of sports nutrition considerations across a spectrum of sports from racquet sports and swimming to cycling and weight category sports. The organization of the book is excellent, proceeding from the basic science to its application. The ease with which information can be found is another strong feature. Several typos in one of the chapters (39) are distracting.
Assessment: This book is unique, and the first of its type that I have seen. It will be a useful resource for professionals in many different disciplines. Because it is the first book of its type, there are no grounds for comparison.