Different Athlete Diets
The all too common saying “you are what you eat” remains especially true for all types of athletes who rely on food to fuel and develop a body best suited to their sport. These athletic diets and habits, however, vary greatly from sport to sport. In this article, we will explore the diets of a typical athlete, a sumo wrestler, and a dancer to see what the key differences are.
USDA MyPlate
Standard Diet:
The benchmark for an American diet often features a combination of the USDA MyPlate diet and the 2,000-calorie diet. The MyPlate diet, which is often targeted at children, provides a simplified dietary guideline for what healthy food choices individuals should strive to make. According to it, half of one’s meal should consist of fruits and vegetables, a quarter should come from protein, the last quarter from grains, with an additional serving of dairy on the side.
This is coupled with the 2,000-calorie diet, which has been standardized across nutrition labels to make “Daily Value” recommendations based on the average nutritional needs of most adults. Yet, these calorie needs may differ from individual, with some requiring more, and others less. Daily value percentages seen in nutrition labels refers to public health experts' general recommended upper or lower limits for various nutrients, where by following this advice, one is seemingly leading a healthy standard diet. Lower limits refer to “eat at least”-- one should aim to consume at least 18mg (the daily value, or a daily value percentage of 100%) or more of iron each day. Upper limits refer to “eat up to”--one should aim to consume no more than 20g (the daily value, or a daily value percentage of 100%) of saturated fat daily. To learn more in-depth about understanding nutrition labels, refer to this article on nutrition labels.
USDA MyPlate Diet:
Daily values for nutrients, based on the 2,000 calorie diet.
In reality, the typical American diet starkly differs from these standards, instead largely consisting of fried foods, high-fat dairy, processed foods and meats, refined grains, and generally large portions of added sugar, fat, and sodium. This, along with minimal consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein, has ultimately led to damaging health consequences to many individuals all across America.
Sumo Diet:
Sumo wrestlers are notorious for their extremely large build, yet contrary to popular belief, their diet does not consist of gorging on mass amounts of junk food. A typical sumo wrestler’s diet is rich in high-calorie and high-protein food, amassing around 20,000 calories daily–10x the average caloric intake. Sumo wrestlers usually only eat 2 meals a day, where by skipping breakfast and training before their first meal, their metabolic rate slows while their tendency to overeat increases. With these two in conjunction with one another, the body resorts to fat storage, allowing them to maintain a heavy weight crucial for their success.
The mark of a sumo wrestler’s diet? Chanko Nabe, where large quantities of this hot pot dish, mainly consisting of meat, fish, and vegetables, are eaten communally with fellow wrestlers, coaches, etc. Because it is high in protein, carbs, healthy fats, and calories, it is the ideal dish for wrestlers. This dish has become so intertwined with sumo culture because of its origins. During the Meji Period (1868-1912), the Dewanoumi Sumo Stable was booming with aspiring wrestlers, so to easily accommodate the masses, hot pot was served regularly. It became such a staple that retired sumo wrestlers opened Chanko Nabe restaurants and spread to other sumo stables. Other commonly eaten foods include rice, eggs, vegetables, dairy products, and alcohol (for enjoyment).
However, there are significant health risks that come with following this diet regime, such as obesity, high blood pressure, liver damage, cancer, diabetes, sleep apnea, etc. Their average life expectancy is 65 years old, much shorter than the average life expectancy for a Japanese man.
Sumo wrestlers enjoy an abundant meal, called Chanko Nabe, together.
Ballet Dancer Diet:
Unfortunately, amongst the different sports, ballet dancers are most vulnerable to disordered eating. This especially holds true for female dancers, where because of the large visual component that comes with ballet, there has been immense pressure throughout the industry to fit the idealized shape: slim and tall. This can quickly develop into a toxic culture, as emphasis on unrealistic body expectations triumphs over health behaviors and eating habits. In efforts to maintain such a figure, many compromise the health of their own body, eating very little in comparison to the physical demands that come with this sport. As a result, eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are more prevalent, increasing the risk for vitamin and iron deficiencies, and a reported 50% of ballet dancers were considered underweight when following the BMI scale.
So, to properly support their active lifestyle, health experts advise that at minimum, dancers need to eat enough to fuel themselves. Carbs, protein, and introducing a variety of foods is extremely important in maintaining a strong and energetic body, and one should aim to eat around 3 meals and 2-3 snacks each day. Dancers should eat meals rich in carbs pre-performance in order to fuel muscles and offer sustained energy throughout the day.
Conclusion:
Standard athletes, sumo wrestlers, and ballet dancers all have varying diets that reflect the physical demands of their respective sports. Understanding these differences and what each sport requires is essential for a high performance and a healthy lifestyle.
Sources:
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Dan, Laura. “What Is the Standard American Diet?” Fullscript, 5 Aug. 2022, https://fullscript.com/blog/standard-american-diet. Accessed 20 July 2024.
Center for Food Safety, and Applied Nutrition. “How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label#:~:text=The%20DV%20for%20dietary%20fiber,on%20the%20Nutrition%20Facts%20label. Accessed 20 July 2024.
Fine, Rachel. “What Is A Healthy Diet For Ballet Dancers?” Dance Nutrition, 10 Apr. 2024, https://dancenutrition.com/diet-for-ballet-dancers/. Accessed 20 July 2024.
“Food for Gymnastics.” Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA), 2 Feb. 2015, https://www.sportsdietitians.com.au/factsheets/food-for-your-sport/food-for-your-sport-gymnastics/. Accessed 20 July 2024.
NAKAYAMA, NAOYA. “Chankonabe—Dishes Full of Wisdom Created by the Sumo Culture.” 凸版印刷, 16 Jan. 2024, https://shun-gate.com/en/roots/roots_114/. Accessed 20 July 2024.
Edita, Stokić. “Figure 1. Distribution of Body Mass Index (BMI) Values in Ballet...” ResearchGate, https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Distribution-of-body-mass-index-BMI-values-in-ballet-dancers-and-non-athletic-girls_fig1_7725989#:~:text=Context%20in%20source%20publication&text=Context%201-,...,of%20ballet%20dancers%20(50.0%25). Accessed 22 July 2024.