Pedagogia

Unit 12:
Unit code: QCF Level 3: Credit value:

Sports Nutrition
H/502/5640 BTEC National 10

Guided learning hours: 60
Aim and purpose
The aim of this unit is to provide a broad understanding of the importance of nutrition and hydration to a variety of sports participants.

Unit introduction
The importance of good nutrition and hydration in sports has grown in popularity in recentyears. The significance of a healthy balanced diet and its links to good health and improved sports performance is now a key aspect of the sportsperson’s lifestyle; whether they are an elite athlete preparing for World championships or Olympic events, a semi-professional competitor aiming to continue performing or amateur participants who just want to improve their chances of winning. The demands ofrigorous training and competition schedules can have negative effects on the health of every sports participant, but the individual’s diet, linked to the recovery process, can have a considerable effect on performance. Involving the sports performer in the planning of their diet can result in improved health benefits, as well as promoting adequate refuelling and hydration, leading to improvedsporting performance. Any adjustment to the nutrition plan can also be linked to energy requirements and expenditure for a variety of different sports and events. The importance of this information should also be extended to other members of the sports team such as coaches, personal trainers and strength and conditioning personnel. This unit is particularly relevant to those who aspire to work incoaching, fitness instruction, sports nutrition or elite sport. The first part of the unit focuses on the concepts of nutrition and digestion, with learners exploring the physiology of the digestive system and how food is broken down and subsequently utilised by the body. Learners will then be introduced to the components of a balanced diet and common terms linked to nutritional requirements. Learnerswill also explore energy intake and expenditure and how this can be measured in different ways for individual sports performers. Learners will also consider the availability, costs and accuracy of these measures and how relevant they are to the performer. Learners will identify the influencing factors directly linked to energy input and output, including gender, age, climate and physicalactivity. The second part of the unit looks at hydration and diet for different sporting activities. Learners will investigate the sporting demands of performers and how nutritional requirements will vary for each individual. The inclusion of sports drinks, gels and traditional methods of hydration will be considered, alongside the activity levels and fitness levels of the individual. Finally, learnerswill be able to apply knowledge and understanding by producing a realistic diet and hydration plan for selected athletes or sports performers.

Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Nationals specification in Sport and Exercise Sciences – Issue 1 – January 2010 © Edexcel Limited 2009

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Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit a learner should:

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Know the concepts of nutrition and digestionKnow energy intake and expenditure in sports performance Know the relationship between hydration and sports performance Be able to plan a diet appropriate for a selected sports activity.

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Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Nationals specification in Sport and Exercise Sciences – Issue 1 – January 2010 © Edexcel Limited 2009

Unit content
1 Know the concepts of nutrition and digestion
Nutrition:macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats); micronutrients (vitamins, minerals); fibre; nutritional requirements (essential and non-essential); common terminology (Recommended Daily Allowance, Optimum Level, Safe Intake, Estimated Average Requirements, standard abbreviations – RDA, SI, EAR) Digestion: structure of digestive system (buccal cavity, oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, pancreas, liver,...