Sports Dietetics in Practice with Professional Jockeys

1. Sports Dietetics in Practice with Professional Jockeys Helen Brown

2. 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

3. 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 & drink Can all influence sporting performance

4. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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)

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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, Non-Race Day

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. Challenges • Fear of white coats • Reluctance to talk • Myths and legends • Closed environment • Have to gain trust and understand their problems and motivation

22. A high carbohydrate diet aids recovery of muscle glycogen stores Adapted from Costill DL, Miller JM. Int J Sports Med 1980;1:2–14

23. What makes a healthy sports diet?

24. Services Include • Individual consultations • Dietary analysis • Information and advice for lifestyle • Telephone help line • Information and guidance for race course caterers • Race course visits.

25. 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

26. 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)

29. 150 kcals each

30. Standard mars bar 280 Kcalories 10. 8 gms Fat Does your breakfast look like this?

31. 2 Weetabix 150 ml Semi skimmed milk 150 ml Orange juice For the same kcalories you could have all of this

32. Monitoring Dehydration

33. Catering at the Race-Course

34. 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!