Significant Risk of Dehydration in Young Soccer Players
Abby Milton, A. Olson, Ph.D, R.D., L.D., M. Campos, Ph.D.
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University
Department of Nutrition
Department of Nutrition
Introduction
•Soccer is a physically demanding sport, that is often played during hot, humid weather
•Children have a lowered sweating capacity, greater surface area relative to body mass, and produce more metabolic heat, and have a less‐sensitive thirst mechanism, compared to adults (1‐5).
•“Voluntary Dehydration” occurs when the athlete does not drink enough fluids to replenish fluids lost, even when fluid is available to them; this is a major factor that contributes to dehydration in children (6)
•All these factors make children a high‐risk group for developing heat‐related illnesses
Purpose
To assess the risk of dehydration in youth soccer players and assess their knowledge of fluid requirements.
Results
Team total hydration states
Team Averages pre‐ and post‐ game osmolality vs. fluid consumed during soccer games Procedure
25
1600
1000
900
61%
20
1400
Pre‐ state
800
1200
800
400
600
15
# of subjjects
500
Fluid consumed
d (ml)
1000
600
Post‐ state
50%
700
Osmolality (mO
Osm)
•Two female teams (13 girls, aged 13‐15) and two male teams (21 boys, aged 11‐14) were recruited from two local youth soccer associations
•Study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the College and written informed consent was signed by both the parent/guardian and the subject.
•Subjects completed a short survey about their individual drinking habits and knowledge
• Data collected included subject’s body weight, choice of Gatorade or water, and fluid consumption during competition. •Pre‐ and post‐competition urine samples were collected •Urine osmolality was measured using the Fiske 110 osmometer
Results
10
28%
21%
300
18%
22%
400
5
200
200
100
0
0
Team 1: U14 G
Team 2: U14 B
Team 3: U12 B
Team 4: U15 G
0
Pre game mOsm
Seriously dehydrated
Post game mOsm
g
Teams
Significantly dehydrated Minimally dehydrated
Well Hydrated Hydration State
Hydration State
Fluid consumed
Average H₂O vs. Gatorade Consumption
8
Subjects' perceived level of thirst before & after a game or practice
1200
35
7
1000
30
Before level
6
600
4
3
400
1.
2.
3
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Rowland, T. (2008). Thermoregulation during exercise in the heatin children: old concepts revisited. Journal of Applied Physiology, 105, 718‐724.
Bar‐Or, O. (1994). Children's Responses to Exercise in Hot Climates: Implications for Performance and Health. Gatorade Sports Science Exchange, 7(2), 49.
Climatic Heat Stress and the Exercising Child and Adolescent (2007) Pediatrics 106
Climatic Heat Stress and the Exercising Child and Adolescent. (2007). Pediatrics, 106, 158‐159.
Falk, B., & Dotan, R. (2008). Children's thermoregulation during exercise in the heat‐a revisit. Applied Physiology of Nutrition and Metabolism, 33, 420‐427.
Inoue, Y., Kuwahara, T., & Araki, T. (2004). Maturation‐ and Aging‐related Changes in Heat Loss Effector Function. Journal of Physiological Anthropology and Applied Human Science, 23(6),289‐294.
Oded, B.‐O., & Wilk, B. (1996). Water and Electrolyte Replenishment in the Exercising Child. International Journal of Sport Nutrition, 6, 93‐99.
Casa, D. J., Armstrong, L. E., Hillman, S. K., Montain, S. J., Reiff, R. V., Rich, B. S., et al. (2000). NATA Position Statement: Fluid Replacement for Athletes. Journal of Athletic Training, 35(2), 212‐224.
2
25
# of subjects
Average # of Subjects
5
Average Fluid Consumed (ml)
After level
800
References
•Only 18% of the total number of subjects came to their games well hydrated
•61% of girls and 57% of boys started significantly dehydrated (7).
•The choice between water and Gatorade was pp
y / ;
approximately 50/50; •14 chose water
•13 chose Gatorade
• 6 alternated beverages
•Those consuming Gatorade drank approximately 310 ml more fluid.
•Fluid consumption during the game should have been ,
g
p
between 1200‐1800 ml, but average fluid consumption was only 881±240 ml
•46% of girls and 47% of boys were still significantly dehydrated after their games.
•Most subjects (70%) reported being thirsty pre‐
competition. •The survey revealed these factors would improve j
p
subjects’ fluid consumption: • 63% thought more breaks
• 35% suggested flavored drinks and/or more drinks
•19% suggested more time during breaks
•14% suggested more bathrooms [port‐a‐
potties]
20
15
10
200
Conclusions
•Most players (82%) started their games dehydrated, which places them at risk to develop heat‐related illnesses •Fluid consumption during the game was q
p y ;
y
inadequate for most players; they failed to drink sufficient fluids to improve their status during the game
•Coaches, parents, and players must take precautions to prevent dehydration and consider providing more breaks, time to drink, and flavored drinks during a practice or game situation.
1
5
0
0
H₂O
Gatorade
Type of Beverage
# consuming each
Avg fluid consumed (ml)
0
Very
Somewhat
Not
Acknowledgements
How thirsty
•GCSA and CMYSA St. Cloud soccer associations for their participation
•The CSB‐SJU Summer Undergraduate Research Program