Conference Highlights: Sports Dietitians Australia 2023 Conference
Sports Dietitians Australia in collaboration with PINES awarded nine scholarships for the SDA 2023 Conference held at the University of Sunshine Coast on 27th & 28th October 2023. The scholarships provided remote registration to the conference across the two days, free of charge. Here we feature articles from our scholarship winners summarising a presentation given at the conference.
SDA Conference Summary
Summarised by Jaymeila Webb, Accredited Sports Dietitian, Tasmania
The 2023 Sports Dietitians Australia Conference was an exceptional event that brought together professionals from all corners of the country, dedicated to enhancing the well-being and performance of athletes. With a myriad of topics, speakers, and presentations, it was refreshing to see a united commitment to fostering a culture of continuous improvement within our field. After attending the conference online, I was excited and motivated for the future of sports nutrition and dietetics.
One of the most intriguing presentations was on “Space Food System Challenges and Integrative Solutions for Long-Duration Exploration Missions.” As a sports dietitian, the concept of nourishing astronauts on extended space missions might seem light years away from our everyday practice. However, the link between space food and terrestrial sports nutrition became remarkably clear. Exploring the innovative solutions presented not only expanded our horizons but also shed light on the cutting-edge research that can potentially benefit our athletes here on Earth.
However, what truly made the Sports Dietitians Australia Conference 2023 remarkable were the two presentations that tackled subjects of cultural competency and physique management in high performance sport. The session on “Cultural Competency: Considerations and Insights When Working with Athletes” was particularly moving. Hearing from Palawa woman Angela Burt about her experiences and insights when working with athletes was a poignant reminder of the importance of diversity and inclusion in our field. In a time when our country requires more allyship and understanding, this presentation highlighted the vital role dietitians play in creating a safe and supportive environment for all athletes. Cultural safety is not a choice – it is essential.
The presentation on “Physique Management in High Performance Sport” addressed the need to reduce risk and harm when taking physique measurements. Weight and body composition are one of many tools we can use to understand an athlete’s performance. It should never be used in isolation without context of the bigger picture, and it should only be used when there is a clear purpose for the data being recorded and if the athlete has given consent.
I am a private practice dietitian, working remotely in Tasmania and it can often feel like I am working in an echo chamber. Prioritizing cultural competency and advocating for safe body composition practices have been two of my core values for the past seven years. Sometimes I feel alone in having these values, which can cause me to doubt the direction I am taking within my small business. The validation that came from the conference, acknowledging the importance of these values, was a powerful affirmation that I am not alone in my commitment to promoting a positive, inclusive, and safe future for athletes in Australia.
The Sports Dietitians Australia Conference highlighted the evolving landscape of sports nutrition and the critical importance of cultural competency and athlete well-being. As we look ahead, we are not just dietitians; we are change-makers, pioneering a path towards a future where our athletes receive the best care, regardless of their backgrounds or physique. The online conference served as a reminder that even when we work remotely, we are part of a nationwide community striving for the safety and wellbeing of our athletes and the future of sports dietetics in Australia.
Thank you to SDA and PINES for making this online event a possibility.
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Cultural competency: considerations and insights when working with athletes
Summarised by Jo Dawson, Accredited Sports Dietitian, New Zealand
Facilitated by Dr Dom Condo, Accredited Sports Dietitian and Angela Burt, Director – Indigenous Leadership at Richmond Football Club.
This was a really insightful session on understanding the essential skill of cultural competence within sports dietetics. When our job is to guide athletes’ dietary choices to ensure they are in good health and perform at their greatest sporting potential, it is not only important we have sound cultural competence, it is essential. When we get it right, performance is enhanced and when we get it wrong, performance is reduced. This applies to both the individual player but also the wider team.
As dietitians it is paramount we take into account and celebrate athletes’ cultural uniqueness particularly for the Māori population in New Zealand and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia. This involves embracing, welcoming and immersing Māori and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander food traditions and culture into the sporting environment, as well as respecting and welcoming their ways of communicating, learning and actioning our advice and support. All athletes should feel comfortable to approach us for support and feel we are respecting their culture when doing so.
It is also important we acknowledge and be aware of our own cultural background and the impact of power, and/or privilege may have had on our dietetic practice and how this may affect the quality of care we provide. It is also our job to ensure athletes feel comfortable to let us know if we get it wrong so we can continually work on improving our cultural competence. Allowing time to get to know the players is important as it is very difficult to understand the culture of another person without talking to the person themselves.
As dietitians we need to be open to learn about and honour the different cultures we work with. It is important we continually self-reflect and are always self-aware of the importance of providing culturally safe dietetic care and this can only be defined by the individual athlete’s experience in their given sport. Finally, we should always remember “when we admit that we don’t know, we have the chance to know”.
Physique Management in High Performance Sports
Summarised by Maria Vallasciani, High Performance Registered Dietitian, USA
Presented by Associate Professor Gary Slater, SDA Fellow and Ali Disher, Advanced Sports Dietitian
How can sports make health, wellbeing and performance connected again? This is the opening question of the physique management in high performance sports presentation. Behind the possible benefits of making certain body composition changes there are other important factors to be considered. The Australian Institute of Sports has created a Physique Considerations Decision Tree that can help professionals assess if focusing on making those changes is in the best benefit of the athlete, identify athletes at risk and determine which method might be the most appropriate for each particular situation. Assessment of body composition it is a useful tool that can aid in developing certain nutrition strategies and training interventions to optimize performance, however we can not set aside the fact that certain athletes might be at risk of developing disordered eating and relative energy deficiency. This risk can be reduced by implementing standardized protocols during the measuring process to reduce the risk of making a negative impact while measuring body composition.
Now the real question comes to how do we talk and assess body composition in high performance athletes that might be at risk of developing eating disorder, however in which body composition can have a positive impact on performance such as in swimming or weight category sports. One of the big areas where there is a lot of work to be done is education, not only athletes, but education of the entire team behind athletes. The environment of certain sports can increase the risk of developing detrimental health issues and negatively impact mental health. Therefore, setting the environment to protect athletes and teach them the right message when it comes to body composition is key to prevent the development of eating disorders and a poor relationship with body image.
Finally, it is important to understand that the process of creating a healthier environment for athletes is slow, and system cultural changes take time. Repetition, daily language, policies and guidelines, all become important int terms of talking about physique and changing the perspective on body composition. There is a need to integrate new philosophies when it comes to physique management in high performance sports.
So how do we apply physique management in high performance sports? It is important to identify the athlete. Is this athlete old enough (above 18 years old)? What is the rationale for body composition assessment? Is assessing body composition going to have a positive impact on performance without compromising health? Is the risk of pursuing the assessment outweighing the benefits? And last but not least, has the athlete been educated and understands the rationale behind the assessment?
Once all these have been assessed, an informed decision can be made, and assessment can be performed looking forward to create positive performance outcomes without affecting physical and mental health of athletes.
The future of sports nutrition
Summarised by Tania Lee, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Malaysia
Keynote presented by Professor Louise Burke OAM
Louise Burke is a sports dietitian for 40 years and achieved so much in her life in this field. She spent 30 years as head of nutrition AIS, wrote more than 350 research papers and numerous textbooks, and received the Order of Australia (2009) for her contribution in sports nutrition. I wish I have the chance to meet her someday or maybe have a conversation because I am truly inspired by her tireless efforts in Australia to grow the field of sports nutrition. I embarked on an entrepreneur journey with my other passionate partners in SNAc hope to follow in her footsteps for Malaysia.
SUMMARY
Dr Burke presented a keynote topic on ‘The Future of Sports Nutrition’ with 10 different questions, with the good, the bad and the ugly for us to ponder. She shared the history of sports nutrition and how it has evolved to present day where delivery of services is more personalized, sports dietitian role is better integrated and information is at our fingertips, and technology is being integrated much more. In Malaysia, virtual consultation has become more common especially among athletes because we can reduce time spent traveling onsite (yes, traffic is horrendous in the city). In our efforts to catch up with digitalization, we have to gamify education to make it more fun and interactive for our athletes
The good and the ugly with food technology is still up on the fence in my opinion in Malaysia. Whilst we are still trying to educate health-conscious parents that athletes need carbs during long hours training (the misconception about ‘sports drink contains too much sugar for my kid’ is still there), there’s the other spectrum where parents fully support their child taking any supplement recommended by the pharmacy/coach/other parents without consulting any sports dietitian/nutritionist. There is a lot for us to do and we will continue to work hard to address lack of awareness on the need for supplements for children, the seriousness of antidoping rule violations and overall sports nutrition knowledge and application.
I also love the idea by Dr Burke on research embedded training camps because sports/training camps have been very popular yet we did not incorporate any sort of research during such camps. It will be much more cost efficient but it might be a challenge to connect researchers’ time frame for data collection with the sports camp. Translating theory into practice has been a challenge for us too with all the fad diets and easily accessible, “loud” yet unreliable marketing propaganda. What we do or can do in our practice is to be “louder” with more reliable and evidence-based information. This means to adapt to current trends of engagement, hiring someone “more professional” for content creation that is evidence-based for better reach and educating ourselves with the local/sports culture to better serve the needs of the communities.
Lastly, I am thankful for the words by Dr Burke on “Do what you can in a day, it will still be there tomorrow” because often times, we focused too much on our dreams. I will make sure to prioritize health in our company, work with passion and kindness in sports.
Challenges and Innovative Solutions in Space Food Systems for Long-Duration Exploration Missions
Summarised by Shreya Adhav, Sports Nutritionist, India
Keynote presented by Dr Grace Douglas, Lead Scientist Space Food Systems Laboratory, Advanced Food Technology, NASA Johnson Space Center
Nutrition forms the cornerstone of human health, particularly for astronauts embarking on long-duration exploration missions. In space, maintaining optimal nutrition is crucial due to the challenges posed by altered physiological states and the unique environment of space travel. Essential nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals are vital for sustaining bodily functions, supporting the immune system, preserving muscle mass, and ensuring overall well-being in a microgravity setting.
On the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts encounter various health challenges. Gastrointestinal distress, stress-related issues leading to anxiety and depression, potential exposure to pathogenic bacteria, muscle mass decline, and compromised immune cell function are some of the consequences stemming from altered cytokine production, changes in the gut microbiome, and altered nutritional needs in space.
Nutritionists play a pivotal role in crafting a diverse array of space foods that cater to astronauts’ preferences while being rich in essential compounds such as flavonoids, lycopene, lutein, sterols, and omega-3 fatty acids. These foods need to have a shelf life of at least two years through rehydration techniques without compromising taste, texture, or color. Some examples of space-friendly foods include freeze-dried mango salad, fish with mango salsa, and pickled beets.
Studies conducted on astronauts during missions have shed light on the impact of meal composition on their physical and mental well-being. When astronauts were given meal replacers during a four 30-day mission, they experienced reduced calorie intake, weight, meal satisfaction, and energy levels. Conversely, feelings of boredom, stress, unhappiness, anxiety, and depression increased due to this change in diet composition.
However, a different study involving an enhanced diet comprising fruits, vegetables, and fish during four 45-day missions demonstrated positive outcomes. Astronauts experienced improved cognitive performance, reduced cortisol levels, lowered cholesterol, and observed taxonomic and transcriptomic changes.
Despite these advancements, challenges persist in designing an optimal space food system. Factors like extensive extravehicular activities (EVAs) demanding increased energy, atmospheric and pressure changes affecting hormone regulation like ghrelin, reduced meal preparation infrastructure, and limited food choices pose hurdles. Nevertheless, strategies focusing on tailoring menus around EVAs and incorporating energy-dense, nutritionally rich foods such as meal replacement bars, and rehydrated/dehydrated options hold promise in addressing these challenges.
From a sports nutritionist’s perspective, delving into the intricacies of space nutrition unveils a fascinating realm of research and innovation. Understanding how different nutrients impact astronauts’ physical and mental states, adapting foods to the space environment, and addressing challenges through innovative meal solutions presents an intriguing frontier. The continuous quest to optimize nutrition in space exploration not only ensures the well-being of astronauts but also contributes to broader scientific and nutritional knowledge.
In conclusion, the significance of nutrition for astronauts on long-duration space missions cannot be overstated. The complexities of altered physiology, coupled with the need for nutritionally rich and palatable foods, underscore the critical role of nutritionists in shaping the future of space food systems. As advancements continue, the evolving field of space nutrition remains an engaging and crucial area for further exploration and development.
Cultural competency: considerations and insights when working with athletes
Summarised by Angela Dufour, High Performance Registered Dietitian, Canada
PhD Candidate, University of Sunshine Coast, Australia
Facilitated by Dr Dom Condo, Accredited Sports Dietitian and Angela Burt, Director – Indigenous Leadership at Richmond Football Club.
A review of professional standards is needed; improved competency standards for RDs to be more culturally safe and responsive in their practice for working with aboriginal people. We must demonstrate ability to recognize that whole systems for including health and education are responsible for improving aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander health and collaborate with these individuals and communities where they are at to advocate for social justice and health equity.
We must acknowledge reflect and understand our own beliefs, values, attitudes and biases, assumptions, privilege and power as it relates to their influence on practice. Applying evidenced based best practices valuing Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander ways of knowing being and doing. Taking also into consideration the dietetic education curriculum.
We must engage in culturally safe and appropriate communication that facilitates trust and the building of respectful relationships. So where do we start?
First Step: Evaluate where your organization fits on the Cultural competency continuum: Cultural Destructiveness -cultural incapacity- cultural blindness-cultural pre-competence-cultural competency-cultural proficiency: Then, encourage open and honest conversations about bias and colonialism.
Second Step: Review of professional standards: recognize whole systems are responsible and collaborating with first nations people for social justice and health equity. Identifying biases/colonialism and self-determination. Have truthful conversations about cultural bias as a profession. Its more than just putting art on walls and embedding lines in documents.
Third Step: Define Culture: It places people in uncomfortable positions, so people usually retreat instead of knowing if its ok to ask the questions: When we admit that we don’t know then we have the chance to know! We need to understand culture itself. Culture is everywhere, it’s about the people (can’t have culture without people), but it requires vulnerability…. But are we as vulnerable as we expect our athletes to be?
You need to start to measure cultural competence with the people that you are servicing. If we separate culture from the people, what is it that we’re actually measuring? This requires self reflection.and interactions with first nations people.
Sharing considerations/conversations/resources. Its building trust. Take the time to have meaningful conversations with first nations people in their spaces (i.e training environment). Recognize opportunities to engage and act on those times in public not private. This will start the trust building and relationships.
Take home points: it’s about the aboriginal athletes trusting you with much time and perseverance. Only then can we have some serious conversations, in a respectful and positive way. Its taken differently when in the context of a trusting/safe environment. It’s then not judged based on culture but performance science/nutrition. Being an advocate means more than checking boxes on a checklist, it is about forming new relationships and forming trust; travelling with teams, and learning staff roles. It requires a team to work together to create a community of best practice!
Physique Management in High-Performance Sports
Summarised by Leila Basic, Sports Nutritionist, Australia
Presented by Associate Professor Gary Slater, SDA Fellow and Ali Disher, Advanced Sports Dietitian
The 2023 SDA conference consisted of some of the most experienced and respected professionals in the industry. They discussed key advancements in sports nutrition research that will influence sports nutrition practice, both now and in the future. In particular, Gary Slater and Ali Disher conducted a presentation on physique management in high performance sport. They reflected on their practice as sports dietitians and how body physique management had or had not changed over the years.
Body composition monitoring is common amongst athletes from a range of sports, and benefits include determining suitability for weight categorisation, monitoring the effectiveness of training and/or nutrition interventions, identifying athletes at risk of injury or poor health, and talent identification. There is a clear link between body composition and performance, and more factors are now being considered prior to engaging athletes in body composition assessments. Gary and Ali discussed the Physique Assessment Decision Tree which assists with determining whether a body composition assessment is suitable for an athlete, and ensures athlete centred care by providing athletes with consent and adequate education.
When conducting body composition assessment of athletes, it is important to adhere to Best Practice Protocols when obtaining and analysing data. Best practice goes beyond the actual assessment by also supporting athletes’ physical and emotional well-being throughout the process. Gary and Ali mentioned the Australian Institute of Sport released a new Practitioner Best Practice Guidelines for DXA Assessment of Body Composition which aims to support both practitioners and athletes. The document contains details on important considerations including pre assessment guidance to athletes, capturing data, data interpretation and feedback. Gary and Ali highlighted the importance of taking a collaborative approach with coaching staff in interpreting data and setting goals for athletes.
They also discussed the potential negatives of body composition assessments such as the variability in assessment types to accurately quantify body fat and muscle mass e.g. DXA can more accurately quantify body fat and muscle mass compared to skinfold testing. Further, determining whether the athlete is a suitable candidate for body composition is an important factor to consider when trying to prevent or mitigate potential negative experiences e.g. assessing whether the athlete has body image concerns or disordered eating patterns in order to prevent exacerbating the issue.
As practitioners, we have the potential to empower athletes and provide athlete centred care. Gary and Ali encouraged sports dietitians to continue to think critically about their own practice and make changes within their sporting environments if needed. Important things to consider are: whether monitoring an athlete’s composition is beneficial, athlete suitability, consent, pre assessment education, accuracy of data, interpretation of the data, who the data is shared with and appropriate feedback to guide athletes.
The Future of Sports Nutrition
Summarised by Demi Patterson, Sports Nutritionist, Australia
Keynote presented by Professor Louise Burke OAM
Professor Louise Burke holds the esteemed title of SDA Life Member, boasting four decades of experience dedicated to educating and counseling elite athletes. Over a span of 30 years at the Australian Institute of Sport, she served as the Head of Sports Nutrition and later as the Chief of Nutrition Strategy. Louise held the role as the dietitian for the Australian Olympic Teams from 1996 to 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Her impressive body of work includes authoring or editing numerous textbooks on sports nutrition and contributing to over 350 papers in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters.
A founding member of the Executive of Sports Dietitians Australia, Louise Burke is also a Director of the IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition. In recognition of her significant contributions to sports nutrition, she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2009. Further solidifying her leadership in the field, Louise assumed the Chair in Sports Nutrition at the Mary MacKillop Institute of Health Research at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne in 2014, transitioning to a full-time role in 2020.
Louise delivered a comprehensive keynote addressing the Future of Sports Nutrition. Louise delved into the advancements, challenges, and controversies in sports nutrition technology. Her talk covered a range of topics, with a particular focus on body composition assessment methods, highlighting the contrast between reliable tools like DEXA and questionable ultrasounds that claim to determine glucose needs for exercise but often fall short.
The discussion extended to the positive strides made in sports foods, emphasizing their improved efficacy in fueling training and events. However, she pointed out a downside—environmental concerns stemming from packaging waste associated with these sports foods, particularly on running trails.
Louise underscored the imperative to delve deeper into comprehending and applying behavioural change strategies within the realm of performance nutrition. To close, Louise eloquently emphasized that the future of sports nutrition lies with us—her fellow sports dietitians.
Takeaway Messages:
- Critical Evaluation of Assessment Tools: Understand the importance of using reliable methods such as DEXA for body composition assessment, avoiding the pitfalls of unreliable technologies and the impact that body composition may have on an individual.
- Advancements in Sports Foods: Acknowledge the progress in sports foods, recognizing their enhanced effectiveness in supporting training and events.
- Environmental Impact: Be mindful of the environmental consequences, particularly the issue of packaging waste related to sports foods, and explore sustainable alternatives.
- Behaviour Change: Recognize the need for a shift towards understanding and implementing behaviour change strategies to assist athletes in making positive changes to their sports nutrition habits rather than simply prescribing nutrition strategies.
- Collective Responsibility: Embrace the idea that every individual is integral to the future of sports nutrition, emphasizing a collective responsibility in shaping the direction of the field.
