Sports Dietetics in Practice with Professional Jockeys

Helen Brown

Summary

• The ‘making weight’ demands of horse-racing

• The dangers of rapid weight loss

• The extent of the problem within horse-racing

• Tackling the problem – the work of the team of Sports Dietitians working with Jockeys

Sports Dietetics

• Registered Dietitian• Specialist aspect of Dietetics

It is well recognised that• What we eat & drink• When we eat & drink• How much we eat & drinkCan all influence sporting performance

Horse Racing

• Low impact• Strength is required to maintain

balance and control the horse• Need to make weight is paramount

and is required on a daily basis• Despite the need for strength Jockeys

avoid muscle bulk and constantly maintain a low nutritional status

Weight Allowance

• A deduction may be made to the weight which a horse is expected to carry in a race.

• Ridden by an Apprentice or a Conditional jockey

Claims

• Apprentice 16 – 24 yrs Conditional 16 – 25 yrs

Apprentice: 7lbs until 20 wins 5lbs until 50 wins

3lbs until 95 wins

Conditional: 7lbs until 15 wins 5lbs until 35 wins 3lbs until 65 wins

10lbs if only 5 wins

Minimum Weights

Minimum weight – Flat: 7st 12 lbs Jump: 10st.

Range of weights within a meeting:• First race 14.00 - 8st 9lbs• Second race 14.40 - 9st• Third race 15.15 - 8st 6lbs• Fourth race 16.25 - 9st

Making Weight

• Often 2 stone below normal body weight

• Sauna• Sweat suits – exercise and hot baths• Starvation and dehydration• Laxatives• Diuretics (banned 1999)• Vomiting (flipping)

A Day in the Life of..

• 05.00 – 05.30 in the yard mucking out etc and then rides out ( 4 horses)

• 09.00 breakfast – toast dry and tea with 4 sugars.

• 2 more lots• Lunch – nothing• Yard work• Evening – chocolate bar, pasta salad, oven

chips.• Race rides – not many at the moment.

Race Day

• Current weight 10st 2 lbs. Race weight 9st 7lb – 9st 10lbs

• Day before a race: no food tea with 4 sugars gym black bags - sleep sauna

• Can lose 8- 9 lbs this way• Has to do this as not many races at that

time

Rapid Weight Loss

• Poor performance skills• Lack of strength and stamina• Dehydration • Reduced muscle glycogen• Increase in stress fractures -

osteoporosis• Kidneys, cardiac disorders• Eating disorders / disordered eating• Burnout, fatigue depression

The Extent of the Problems

• An Investigation into appropriate Weight Standards in Top Level Irish Flat and National Hunt Jockeys

• Dr Giles Warrington, Dr Adrian McGoldrick & Dr Michael Griffin

• January 2006

Study of Top Irish Jockeys

• 18 Flat (6 Apprentices)• 10 National Hunt• Whole Body Dexa Scan• Anthropometry• Hydration Analysis (Urine Specific Gravity)• Haematology• Musculo-Skeletal Screen• Nutritional Analysis• Lifestyle Questionnaire

Hydration Analysis, Non-Race Day

Flat Jockeys

Urine SG

Mean: 1.022

SD: 0.005

Range: 1.007-1.028

National Hunt Jockeys

Urine SG

Mean: 1.021

SD: 0.007

Range: 1.011-1.031

Hydration Analysis, Race Day

• 14 Jockeys Volunteered• Urine samples collected over the day’s racing• All 14 Jockeys were dehydrated• 93% had high to severe levels of dehydration• Dehydration increased during the course of the

day• Similar findings to a pilot study McGoldrick et al

2003

Haematology

In a number of Jockeys evidence of:

• Deficiency in trace elements

• Iron deficiency anaemia

• Vitamin deficiency

• Low white cell count

• Borderline thyroid function

• Compromised renal function

Summary of other key findings

• 54% of Flat & 40% of N Hunt osteopenic in either spine, hip or both

• Compared to age matched males 20% (spine) 8% (hip)

• The 6 Apprentices had the lowest BMI and body fat levels and the worst problems with bone mineral density, 4 being osteopenic, 2 osteoporotic

Summary of other key findings

• 88% of Flat and 70% of N Hunt had body fat levels of 10% or less with some as low as 6%

• Body fat range for health (men) 13-18%• High incidence of fracture• Flat ate a third, NH ate less than ½ of fibre RDA • Approx half of the recommended amount of fluid• 54% stated that the most difficult aspects of

being a Jockey were weight control issues and the low calorie intake

Tackling the problem

The Jockey Club team• A service to provide dietary &

nutritional information and advice to Jockeys, other individuals and organisations involved with racing

Challenges

• Fear of white coats• Reluctance to talk • Myths and legends• Closed environment• Have to gain trust and understand

their problems and motivation

A high carbohydrate diet aids recovery of muscle glycogen stores

Adapted from Costill DL, Miller JM. Int J Sports Med 1980;1:2–14

What makes a healthy sports diet?

Services Include

• Individual consultations

• Dietary analysis

• Information and advice for lifestyle

• Telephone help line

• Information and guidance for race course caterers

• Race course visits.

Achievements

• News letter- jockeys and stable lads• Fact sheets• Calorie counted diet sheet 1200 -

800• Training the “Travelling Tea Boy”• Colour coded guidance for nutrients• Catering Guidelines• Presence & displays at racecourses

while Jockeys are racing

Race-Course Visits

• 2002 – introductory visits

• 2003 – weight management seminars

• 2004 – photographs focusing on hidden fats

• 2005 – fluids and effect of dehydration

meal planning

• 2006 – 54321 diet, calcium and iron

• 2007 – Superfoods

• 2008 – Weekly meal plans & shopping lists

• 2009 – Recipe book (in development)

150 kcals each

Does your breakfast look like this?

• Standard mars bar

• 280 Kcalories

• 10. 8 gms Fat

For the same kcalories you could have all of this

• 2 Weetabix

• 150 ml Semi skimmed milk

• 150 ml Orange juice

Monitoring Dehydration

Catering at the Race-Course

Working with Jockeys

• Established Sports Dietetics Team• Acceptance by the Jockeys-openness• Recognition by horse-racing organisations• Apprentices - to focus on• Racecourse catering - to improve on• Trainers - not fully aware of the potential

of good nutrition for Jockeys• Lots more challenges ahead!