PhD defence Vera Catharina Ruth Weijer
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. L.J.C. van Loon
Co-supervisor: Dr. J.W. van Dijk
Keywords: Nutritional needs, Energy expenditure, Body composition, Paralympians
"Powering Paralympians: The Fundamentals of Nutritional Guidelines for Paralympic Athletes"
This thesis investigated the nutritional needs of athletes with disabilities. Total daily energy expenditure and resting energy expenditure were measured alongside fat-free mass and fat mass in Paralympic athletes with different impairments and from different sports. Based on these findings, new prediction equations were developed to estimate the energy needs of Paralympic athletes. These equations can be used by dietitians to tailor nutritional advice. In addition, the athletes’ current dietary intake was assessed, showing that they consumed relatively little carbohydrate but relatively high amounts of protein. Bone mineral density was also measured to investigate differences between impairments and the influence of sport on bone health. The results showed that wheelchair use was the strongest predictor of low bone mineral density at the hip, while wheelchair sports such as wheelchair basketball appeared to protect bone mineral density in the lumbar spine.
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