Dietary Intake, Anthropometric Characteristics, and Iron and Vitamin D Status of Female Adolescent Ballet Dancers Living in New Zealand

• Published in: International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism 2015-08, Vol.25 (4), p.335-343
• Main Authors: Beck, Kathryn L, Mitchell, Sarah, Foskett, Andrew, Conlon, Cathryn A, von Hurst, Pamela R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Amenorrhea - blood; Amenorrhea - epidemiology; Amenorrhea - etiology; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - blood; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - epidemiology; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - etiology; Body Composition; Body Mass Index; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dancing; Diet - adverse effects; Diet Records; Dietary Supplements; Female; Fractures, Stress - blood; Fractures, Stress - epidemiology; Fractures, Stress - etiology; Humans; New Zealand - epidemiology; Nutrition Policy; Nutritional Status; Patient Compliance; Physical Exertion; Prevalence; Risk; Thinness - blood; Thinness - epidemiology; Thinness - etiology; Vitamin D Deficiency - blood; Vitamin D Deficiency - epidemiology; Vitamin D Deficiency - etiology
• ISSN: 1526-484X; 1543-2742
• DOI: 10.1123/ijsnem.2014-0089

Ballet dancing is a multifaceted activity requiring muscular power, strength, endurance, flexibility, and agility; necessitating demanding training schedules. Furthermore dancers may be under aesthetic pressure to maintain a lean physique, and adolescent dancers require extra nutrients for growth and development. This cross-sectional study investigated the nutritional status of 47 female adolescent ballet dancers (13-18 years) living in Auckland, New Zealand. Participants who danced at least 1 hr per day 5 days per week completed a 4-day estimated food record, anthropometric measurements (Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry) and hematological analysis (iron and vitamin D). Mean BMI was 19.7 ± 2.4 kg/m2 and percentage body fat, 23.5 ± 4.1%. The majority (89.4%) of dancers had a healthy weight (5th-85th percentile) using BMI-for-age growth charts. Food records showed a mean energy intake of 8097.3 ± 2155.6 kJ/day (48.9% carbohydrate, 16.9% protein, 33.8% fat, 14.0% saturated fat). Mean carbohydrate and protein intakes were 4.8 ± 1.4 and 1.6 ± 0.5 g/kg/day respectively. Over half (54.8%) of dancers consumed less than 5 g carbohydrate/kg/day, and 10 (23.8%) less than 1.2 g protein/kg/day. Over 60% consumed less than the estimated average requirement for calcium, folate, magnesium and selenium. Thirteen (28.3%) dancers had suboptimal iron status (serum ferritin (SF) < 20 μg/L). Of these, four had iron deficiency (SF < 12 μg/L, hemoglobin (Hb) ≥ 120 g/L) and one iron deficiency anemia (SF < 12 μg/L, Hb < 120 g/L). Mean serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D was 75.1 ± 18.6 nmol/L, 41 (91.1%) had concentrations above 50 nmol/L. Female adolescent ballet dancers are at risk for iron deficiency, and possibly inadequate nutrient intakes.