New dietary analysis tool for athletes debuts

A new website application for athletes called Dietary Analysis Tool for Athletes (D.A.T.A.) has been validated as accurately recording dietary intake based on the 24-hour recall method. "This tool offers sports dietitians and health professionals a new, quick alternative to analyze athletes' dietary intake," said Lindsay Baker, PhD, Principal Scientist, Gatorade Sports Science Institute.

To confirm the accuracy of the tool, Baker and colleagues compared D.A.T.A. with the USDA 5-step multiple-pass method. A total of 56 athletes ages 14-20 participated in the study. Statistical analysis showed the methods of recall were comparable in estimating 24-hour intake of energy, carbohydrate, protein, total fat, water and several micronutrients. According to Baker, this digital tool, with an integrated database, generates a report immediately after the recall, which helps sports health professionals provide quick feedback for the athlete. The D.A.T.A. tool and additional sports nutrition resources can be found at GSSIweb.org.

For the database details, nutrient values are obtained from the USDA database as well as restaurant websites and sports nutrition product labels. While the study focused on teen athletes, Baker believes D.A.T.A. could help dietitians and sports health professionals accurately analyze the fluid and food intake of athletes of all ages.

This study was funded by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. Baker will present a poster on Sunday, April 21, at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition at Experimental Biology.