In this review, theory and developments of Tabata training is described. Tabata training is an exhaustive intermittent bicycle exercise consisting of 6-7 sets of 20 sec exercise bouts with 10 sec rest between the bouts. Since oxygen uptake during the last bouts of the training reaches to maximal oxygen uptake and total oxygen deficit of the exercise amounts to be maximal oxygen deficit, this training was demonstrated to load both aerobic and anaerobic energy releasing system maximally and simultaneously, enabling these two energy releasing system to be improved maximally.

Nowadays, not only elite sportsmen and women, but also ordinary people enjoy this training for improving sports performance and health promotion (and fun), respectively. They uses body-weight bearing exercise, for example, berpee jump. In this review, physiological characteristics of the body-weight bearing exercises were described especially from view point of exercise intensity.

Furthermore, biological evidences of the Tabata training which have accumulated for explaining adaptations of skeletal muscle to the training in terms of elevated expression of proteins that have physiological functions regarding sports performance and health promotion were described briefly.

　Approximately 26% of annual death rate in Japan is caused by cardiovascular disease risks. Individual differences in the DNA sequence may lead to phenotypic variation in physiological function and morphology. The genetic variation accounts for individual differences in physiological features such as skin, eye, and hair color; predisposition to obesity; disease morbidity; and drug response. Therefore, genetic and environmental factors affect the causation of cardiovascular diseases. In 2000, the Japanese Millennium Genome Project was investigated to explore single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and other genetic variations in Japanese individuals. Consequently, 174,269 genetic variations were identified by 2002, and the results releases as the Genomic database. The identified genetic variation is utilized to investigate in developing tailor-made medicine: gene-based diagnoses and individualized approaches to the selection of treatment. In the area of nutrition and sports sciences, previous studies examined to identify gene polymorphisms that influence the effects of exercise and diet. Recent studies showed that the exercise and diet may be needed to cancel the genetic negative effects of gene polymorphisms, which associated with risks of cardiovascular disease. Thus, as to the many genes involved in exercise and diet responses, to date, the application of patient genetic information to tailor-made healthcare has been achieved at the practical level.

Aim

The purpose of this study was to investigate the necessity of nutritional support in the top sports scenes.

Methods

A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted with top athletes (n = 67) and their coaches and trainers (n = 56) from April to July, 2013. Using the KJ method, qualitative data were categorized and schematized. Other data were analyzed statistically using SPSS. The rate of valid replies was 100%.

Results

The necessity of nutritional support increased; however, there were athletes and coaches who did not require any support. This was due to the following: 1) environmental factors, 2) on-actual feeling of the support effect, and 3) the method for the assessment of necessity. In addition, the most important types of support that are useful for enhancing performance are those that aid in the maintenance of the condition and recovery from fatigue. However, the various demands for such support were complexly intermingled.

Conclusion

The necessity for nutritional support has increased in recent years; however, the various demands for such support are complexly intermingled. Also, some top athletes and their coaches do not feel that nutritional support is necessary. From these results, it is suggested that assessments to discern the type of nutritional support required are important.

【Purpose】

This study aimed to streamline nutritional education into one document by focusing on side dishes and skipping breakfast to consider the sex-based relationship between food awareness and eating behavior in high school students in sports clubs.

【Methods】

A self-completed survey was administered to 3,500 students from sports clubs, of which 1,692 who provided valid responses were included in the analysis. Before the survey, those consuming breakfast on a daily basis were the “intake group” and those skipping breakfast were the “skipping group.” Further, based on breakfast composition the day before the survey, those who only ate staple food were classified into “only staple food”; those who ate side dishes, the “with side dishes” group; and those who not consuming side dishes, the “with no side dishes” group; analyses were performed for all groups.

【Results】

In all, ≥10% students skipped breakfast, and in the skipping group, many did not consume lunch or dinner. Among those who considered diet important and paid attention to their food consumption, the intake group had significantly more male students than the skipping group (p<0.01). In addition, the most common breakfast comprised staple food and main and side dishes. In the staple food only and no side dish groups, many students skipped lunch and dinner, and side dishes.

【Conclusion】

Guidance is required to monitor intake of all three meals and staple foods, main dishes, and side dishes in the meal to ensure that students obtain the necessary amount of energy and nutrients. Furthermore, because of sex-based differences in skipping breakfasts and eating behavior/dietary awareness, nutrition education to improve dietary awareness in male students and understanding factors why eating behavior is not in line with even high dietary awareness in female students, are necessary.

【Aim】

The aim of this study was to make clear the actual consciousness about food among the Japanese elite athletes and their eating habits under seasonal periodization.

【Methods】

The data for this study were collected through the use of a medical interview in questionnaire form. On the question about their food-consciousness, they were asked if they were conscious regarding nutritionally-balanced food: if the answer was “Yes” they were considered as highly conscious athletes (H group), and if the answer was “No” that made them poorly conscious ones (L group). Their eating habits were divided between the time of their training period and for the duration of games or competitions, the answers to the questionnaire were scored on 11 items and evaluation was on a 3-point scale.

【Results】

The results showed the “H” group comprised 1,031 (92.5%) of the athletes and the “L” group of 84 (7.5%) of the athletes. The relevance of the result in this survey showed a statistical significance (p < 0.05). Moreover, the results from the multiple comparisons of both training and participation showed higher scores for the “H” group over both periods than the “L” group. However, the scores were significantly lower during the periods of actual participation compared to the training periods (p < 0.05). On the other hand, in the “L” group, no difference in the scoring was seen between both periods.

【Conclusion】

The results demonstrated that those athletes who were highly-conscious about the nutritional values of food had higher scores for their eating habits than the poorly conscious athletes. Furthermore, the eating habits of elite athletes were demonstrated to change both according to their consciousness of nutritional food values and seasonal periodization.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the significance of the lunch box dietary method in the nutritional guidance for athletes and to evaluate the surface area ratio of staple food, main dishes, and side dishes based on the lunch box dietary method.

Lunch boxes were divided into nine categories by combination of three types of energy levels of 2500 kcal, 3500 kcal, and 4500 kcal, and three types of body weight, then, nutrients were applied to each category. A set menu was designed for each category with the amount of one third of the daily intake, and packed into the lunch-box after cooking.

In all the menus, the surface area ratio for staple food, main dishes, and side dishes was 2:1:1. The ratio of side dishes for athletes was lower than that for the general population, because the amount of main dishes was higher due to a higher protein requirement. Consequently, the surface area of side dishes was reduced by changes in the surface area proportion.

In conclusion, the lunch box dietary method is applicable to the nutritional guidance for athletes by the change to surface area ratio.

　It is important that 3 factors of exercise, nutrition and rest are set in high level and balanced between 3 factors for the conditioning of athletes and health management of general public. The original concept of Waseda University clinic of sports medicine and science which was established in consideration for the above point was to support student athletes’ condition by specialists in many fields. Therefore, in this clinic the medical department ( internal medicine, orthopedic surgery and psychology ), the nutritional department, the conditioning and re-conditioning department are set up, and medical doctors, nutritionists, athletic trainers and mental counselors have supported greatly for conditioning of athletes and teams by their expert knowledge. Because there are many specialists in the field of sport science in this clinic, basic researches concerning sport medicine and science have been carried out at the same time. In Waseda University the health management center and athletic sports center are established, too. Therefore, it is necessary to use above 3 facilities effectively for many students, teachers and staffs in the point of the conditioning and health management, and it is important challenge for these facilities to utilize usefully each other and to fuse together.