ABSTRACT
The relationship between nutrition and physical fitness/performance continues to develop in terms of knowledge base and understandings. Sound nutrition is based on the wise selection of foods and beverages according to the stage of the life cycle of the individual and, therefore, the nutrient needs of the individual. Exercise per se contributes to damage of tissues used in physical activities, namely, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Athletes who have not completed their growth in height need to assure adequate intakes of energy, protein, and micronutrients to allow for exercise and at the same time permit the normal skeletal growth process to continue. An emerging area of significant research is the relationship of immune function to athletic performance. The purpose of the pre-competition meal is to maximize glycogen stores, especially in skeletal muscles, and to provide adequate hydration, while minimizing gastric distress, hunger, and digestion during the competition.
