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Dietitian has plenty on plate at Delhi Games
When most Australians sit back to enjoy a “feast” of televised sport during next month’s Commonwealth Games in Delhi, a University of the Sunshine Coast academic will be busily analysing what the athletes are feasting on in India.
Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics Dr Fiona Pelly has scored a research grant to work with the Games’ catering company, Delaware North, in assessing what athletes eat and don’t eat during the 12-day event that starts on 3 October.
Dr Pelly has already assessed the menu for the athletes’ dining hall and kiosk, as she did for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and the recent Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
She has led a team of researchers in reviewing recipes, ingredients, and nutrition information cards for each of the foods on offer in the huge dining hall in the Athletes’ Village at Delhi that will cater for thousands of athletes.
“We’ve reviewed the menu to ensure that it’s suitable for athletes, and that has involved nutritional analysis and ensuring that special dietary needs are met, like gluten-free low-lactose and vegan foods,” she said.
“Athletes from different countries have different dietary practices, and we also have to consider particular sports, for instance a gymnast and a marathon runner will have different energy requirements.”
Dr Pelly said during the Games, her team would survey athletes about their dining experiences, advise athletes on their competition eating plans, liaise between athletes and caterers for special diet requests, keep a record of these requests, and assess which foods go to waste.
Their work will help caterers and organising committees of future major sporting events, including the London Olympics.
Dr Pelly said it was important to assist elite athletes with their dietary needs, as food intake was a key factor in sporting performance.
“They will be exposed to so many different foods and it will be easy for them to go outside their normal diet, particularly if they’re inexperienced,” she said. “It’s a huge hall and the food is all free.
“The athletes might be interested in trying out different foods, specifically Indian dishes and curries. I would suggest that they eat these foods within the Village where we know the food is going to be safer than eating outside.
“Otherwise they might run the risk of food poisoning which could be devastating for their performances.”
Dr Pelly will head to Delhi late next week to prepare for the event. She also will present at a pre-Commonwealth Games conference, which will feature a range of international speakers.
— Terry Walsh