Evaluation of the nutritional state of professional football players/Avaliacao do estado nutricional de jogadores de futebol

The present study had as objective to evaluate alimentary consumption of 28 professional soccer players from Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul. The athletes were submitted to a dietetic evaluation (24-hour recordatory during 3 days). Athletes were on average 24.93 [+ or -] 4.84 years old and presented a mean weight of 5.44 [+ or -] 7.79Kg. An average energetic ingestion of 3387.02 [+ or -] 976.32Kcal), being 5.76 [+ or -] 2.17g/Kg/Weight of carbohydrate 51.31%, 1.73 [+ or -] 0.72g/Kg/Weight of protein 15.42% e 33.27 [+ or -] 7.79% of lipid was verified. A negative correlation was observed regarding ingestion of maximum carbohydrate (p=0.001) which is below recommended levels. Of the 28 athletes, 13 (47%) consumed less than the minimum (5g/Kg/Weight from carbohydrate) recommended by the Official Guideline of Brazilian Sport Medicine Society (2003). For the minimum ingestion of energy (p=0.000), minimum protein (p=0.001) e lipid (p=0.001) there was a positive correlation above the recommended levels. 24 athletes (86%) ingested higher and/or adequate amounts of energy. 19 athletes (68%) ingested higher and/or adequate quantities of protein. 19 athletes (68%) consumed more than 30% of lipid as energetic source. Sports nutrition has as its mission to guide and/or correct athletes alimentary behavior and to make them conscious that balanced feeding is key to their success in reaching their desired results.