CW-Department of Recreation Management & Exercise Science

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Browsing CW-Department of Recreation Management & Exercise Science by Author "Boit, Michael K."

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    Food and Macronutrient Intake of Elite Kenyan Distance Runners
    (Kenyatta University, 2005-11) Onywera, V.O.; Boit, Michael K.; Wamukoya, Edwin K.; Pitsfladis, Yannis P.
    The food and macronutrient intake of elite Kenyan runners was compared to recommendations for endurance athletes. Estimated energy intake (EI: 2987 ±293 kcal; mean ± standard deviation) was lower than energy expenditure (EE:3605 ±119 kcal; P <0.001) and body mass (BM:58.9 ±2.7 kg vs.58.3 ±2.6 kg; P <0.001) was reduced over the 7-d intense training period. Diet was high in carbohydrate (76.5%,10.4 g/kg BM per day) and low in fat (13.4%). Protein intake (10.1%;1.3 g/kg BM per day) matched recommendations fur protein intake. Fluid intake was modest and mainly in the form of water (1113 ±269 mL;0.34 ±0.16 mL/kcal)and tea (1243 ±348 mL). Although the diet met most recommendations for endurance athletes for macro nutrient intake, it remains to be determined if modifying energy balance and fluid intake will enhance the performance of elite Kenyan runners.
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    No association between Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) gene variation and endurance athlete status in Kenyans.
    (Kenyatta University, 2005-11) Onywera, V.O.; Boit, Michael K.; Wamukoya, Edwin K.; Pitsfladis, Yannis P.
    It is well established that environmental factors are important in the success of east African runners in international distance running. The extent to which genetic factors influence this phenomenon is unknown Purpose: Perhaps the most studied of genetic variants thought to influence human physical perfurmance is the IID polymorphism in the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) .gene. The IID polymorphism is characterized by the presence (I) or absence (D) of a 287 base pair intronic fragment. The I allele is associated with lower tissue and circulating ACE levels, and also with endurance perfurmance. However, ACE gene performance association studies have, to date, been confined to Caucasian populations. The present study aimed to assess the association between variation in the ACE gene and elite endurance athlete status in an African population successful in distance running. Methods: DNA samples were obtained from 226 national level Kenyan athletes (N), 70 international Kenyan athletes (1), and 85 members of the general Kenyan population (C). Results: IID genotype was significantly associated with circulating ACE activity (P = 0.034), explaining almost 13% of the variation in ACE levels. IID genotype was not associated with elite endurance athlete status (df= 4, i=3.5, P = 0.47) with no over-representation of the I allele among N (0.42) or I (0.39) athletes relative to controls (0.38). Conclusion: The absence of an association between the IID polymorphism with elite Kenyan athlete status suggests that the ACE gene does not contribute significantly to the phenomenal success of Kenyan endurance runners in international distance running. These results do not support the hypothesis that ACE gene variation is associated with elite endurance performance.