Nutrition & the Olympic Games
Every athlete wishes to get the best food to help them specifically reach their goals at the Olympic Games. What is considered the best diet for an athlete has changed over time. What a modern day elite athlete eats prior to competing differs greatly from earlier Olympic's and is particularly different to what they would have eaten in ancient times when the Ancient Games were first held in Greece.
- Previous Games — Diets of athletes at previous modern Olympic Games.
- Ancient Olympics — Athlete nutrition at the original Olympic Games in ancient Greece.
- Food at the Olympic Village — it is a huge undertaking to supply food to all the athletes and support staff. There is information about the Olympic Village food provision from many recent Olympic Games.
- Current Athletes — The dietary needs of the current day Olympic athlete.
Horlicks hydration station during the marathon event at the 1928 Olympic Games (image from the official report of the 1928 Olympic Games)Related Articles
Below is an article related to nutrition at all Olympic Games. There is also a list of research relating to the Nutrition Services at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
- Pelly, F. E., O'Connor, H. T., Denyer, G. S. and Caterson, I. D. (2011), Evolution of food provision to athletes at the summer Olympic Games. Nutrition Reviews, 69: 321–332.
This article provides insight into the evolution of sports nutrition and the dietary strategies of athletes. In early Olympic Games (1932 to 1968) menus favored protein as the main fuel for exercise. Despite beneficial evidence from the 1960s, an emphasis on carbohydrate-rich foods was not noted until the 1970s. Athlete food preferences and catering evolved rapidly from 1970, with influences from expert nutritional advice and sponsorship.
Related Pages
- Anthropometry at the Olympics, and more Olympic Science
- History of Nutrition and the Olympic Marathon
- Newsletter about nutrition and the Olympics and Paralympics
- Tips for good nutrition while traveling
- Sports Nutrition Home
- Nutrition for Athletes at Major Events
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
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