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Weight-making strategies in professional jockeys: implications for physical and mental health and well-being.
Abstract: Professional jockeys are unique amongst weight-making athletes given that they face the requirement to make weight daily. Furthermore, unlike other weight-limited sports, jockeys who have engaged in rapid weight loss cannot fully rehydrate prior to competition because post-race weight must not be more than 1 kg different to their pre-race weight. As such, jockeys have reported a variety of acute and chronic methods to make weight that include sporadic eating, caloric restriction, diuretics, laxatives, vomiting and fluid restriction as well as regular use of sweat suits and saunas. Typical daily energy intake is reported to be 6.5-8.0 MJ (carbohydrate 3 g kg(-1) body weight, fat 1 g kg(-1) body weight, protein 1 g kg(-1) body weight) and jockeys also exhibit micronutrient deficiencies that include vitamin D and calcium. Accordingly, the combination of low macronutrient, micronutrient and fluid intake results in poor bone health and abnormal mood profiles and can also impair simulated riding performance. Although the energy cost of real-world training and racing is unknown, energy expenditure during simulated race riding and total daily energy expenditure was 0.20 and 11.0 MJ, respectively. Such estimates of energy expenditure are considerably lower than that of other sports and suggest that conventional sports nutrition guidelines may not be applicable to the elite jockey. Furthermore, the use of daily diets that emphasise a high-protein and reduced carbohydrate intake (in the form of six small daily meals) in combination with structured exercise has also proven effective in reducing body mass and maintaining target racing weight. In this regard, available data suggest the need for those organisations responsible for jockey welfare to implement widespread educational programmes to assist in improving both the physical and mental well-being of professional jockeys. Given the high occupational risks associated with race riding (e.g. falls and bone fractures), future research should specifically target strategies to improve bone health through the use of structured weight-bearing exercise and correcting nutritional deficiencies.
Publication Date: 2014-04-01 PubMed ID: 24682950DOI: 10.1007/s40279-014-0169-7Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research article focuses on weight management strategies utilized by professional jockeys and their implications on physical and mental health.
Unique Challenges Faced by Jockeys
- This paper highlights that professional jockeys hold a distinct position among weight-managing athletes as they are required to maintain their weight daily.
- Adding to the challenge, the difference between their pre-race and post-race weight must not exceed 1 kg which means they cannot fully rehydrate prior to a race, unlike athletes from other weight-limited sports.
Weight-Making Methods and their Effects
- Jockeys employ both acute and chronic weight-making methods such as sporadic eating, caloric restriction, using laxatives or diuretics, induced vomiting, fluid restriction, and frequent use of sweat suits and saunas.
- Such techniques negatively impact their macro and micronutrient intake leading to deficiencies in important vitamins and minerals like vitamin D and calcium.
- The combination of low intake of critical nutrients and fluids affects bone health and mood profiles, and can hamper simulated riding performance.
Energy Intake and Expenditure
- The paper reports a typical daily energy intake between 6.5-8.0 MJ (consisting of 3 g/kg body weight of carbohydrates, 1 g/kg body weight of fats, and 1 g/kg body weight of proteins) for jockeys.
- The energy costs of their training and racing exercises are unknown, but results from simulated riding and total daily expenditure are significantly lower than those seen in other sports. This implies that traditional sports nutrition guidelines might not be applicable to jockeys.
Effective Weight Management Strategies
- Implementing daily diets comprising high-protein, reduced carbohydrate intake, along with six small meals and structured exercise routines has proven effective in managing body weight for jockeys.
- The researchers stress the need for authorities responsible for jockey welfare to implement educational programs to assist in improving their physical and mental well-being.
Future Research Directions
- The paper indicates a need for future research to target strategies to improve bone health and correct nutritional deficiencies. This is particularly important given the high occupational risks such as falls and bone fractures associated with race riding.
Cite This Article
APA
Wilson G, Drust B, Morton JP, Close GL.
(2014).
Weight-making strategies in professional jockeys: implications for physical and mental health and well-being.
Sports Med, 44(6), 785-796.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0169-7 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Tom Reilly Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anthropometry
- Dehydration
- Diet
- Energy Intake
- Energy Metabolism
- Fasting
- Horses
- Humans
- Mental Health
- Physical Fitness
- Sports / physiology
- Sports / psychology
- Weight Loss
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