Evaluation of body composition, nutrition and hydration situations of the soccer players in different leagues during the season

This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional status, body composition and hydration status of soccer players in different league categories. The research was carried out on 48 athletes playing football professionally in the Junior Sports Club (Super Toto Super League), Hacettepe Sports Club (2nd league) and Etimesgut Sports Club (3rd league). In order to assess participants' nutritional status, 3-day food consumption and physical activity records were taken on training day, match day and non-training day. The purpose of determining the hydration levels on the same day was to collect urine in the urine chamber and to determine hydration levels by refractometer. Within the same week, fat mass, body mass, percentage of body fat were measured by Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA). The average age of the soccer players participating in the study is 24.5 ± 3.56 years. The average length of the soccer players was 181.5±5.97 cm, body weight was 77.9±7.41 kg and fat percentages were determined as 16.3±2.87%. Body fat percentages of soccer players were 15.5±2.95% for super league players, 16.5±3.26% and 16.9±2.38% for 2nd and 3rd players respectively (p>0.05). The average energy intake of all the players who participated in the study was found to be 2727.6±380.78 kcal and the average energy expenditure was 3216.5±192.34 kcal. The rate of total energy taken from carbohydrates was 43.9±4.84%, from protein 16.4±2.84 and from fat 39.5±3.87. Soccer players' carbohydrate intake was 3.7±0.75 g/kg body weight and 1.4±0.28 g/kg protein. The average intake of vitamin A was 951.7±320.29 μg/RE. The average intake of vitamin E was determined as 20.1±6.17 mg. When the average intake of group B vitamins of footballers was examined; the mean levels of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6 and B12 were 1.0±0.16 mg, 1.6±0.24 mg, 20.8±5.06 mg, 6.4±2.24 mg and 2.8±2.06 mg respectively. Folate intake of footballers was determined as 306.9±68.80 mcg, and the average vitamin C intake was determined as 115.6±54.91 mg. It was observed that the daily intake of calcium, potassium and phosphorus were 867.6±160.19 mg, 3176.8±450.37 mg and 1457.2±216.36 mg, respectively. The average daily iron and zinc intake were found to be 14.5±2.34 mg and 17.1±4.01 mg, respectively. The mean daily fluid intake of the Super League, 2nd and 3rd league players participating in the study were 3334.1±309.23 mL; 3305.6±291.81 mL; 3373.1±574.76 mL, respectively (p>0.05). The mean urine density of the players in the super league, second league and third league were 1021.1±2.15, 1024.4±3.57, 1024.6±5.21, respectively (p<0.05). Soccer players consumed daily average 237.1±103.50 g milk and products, 293.5±89.18 g meat and products, hard nuts with oil and seeds group, 564.1±191.68 g fresh vegetables and fruit group, 329.3±74.65 g bread and cereal group, 35.2±10.47 g of fat, 67.8±35.63 g of sugar and sugar, and 2363.1±408.53 g of non-alcoholic beverages. As a result; the soccer players participating in this study had inadequate intake of some nutrients and liquid besides they had high body fat according to the other results in the literature