There are those who claim that training like an athlete, eating like a nutritionist and sleeping like a baby are the key to always living 100%, but will this be the case? We conducted a statistical survey in which we combined the opinion of industry experts with that of ordinary people. In which way? By interviewing a trainer, a nutritionist and a pediatrician and sharing a questionnaire on your lifestyle. In your opinion, does a healthy diet contribute to the success of sport? 90.7% represents the percentage in favor, 9.3% represents the percentage against. How many times a week do you eat junk food? 60.4% 1-2 23.1% 3-4 11% never 5.5% more than 4 times.
It emerged from the results of the questionnaire that, despite the awareness of the advantages that a healthy diet brings, the diet of young people from Taranto still consists of a considerable quantity of junk food.
As taken from our interview with the specialist in human nutrition sciences Cristina Sarli, a diet rich in fats leads to the development of overweight and obesity with consequent heart diseases such as heart attacks, ischemia, or the onset of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and also to inflammatory intestinal diseases or even tumors.
For an athlete, however, the diet must be balanced and balanced like that of any other individual but personalized to the type of sport training he practices. In general it includes the three main meals + 2 snacks or snacks. It must include carbohydrates to provide energy, proteins to support muscles and bones, minerals, fibers, vitamins for protection and proper hydration.
As already mentioned, we also interviewed Fabio Palagiano, a basketball coach for over 35 years, during which he had experiences with children, teenagers and professionals. Among our questions the following stand out: What are the benefits that those who practice sport get?: “The benefits are many, sport is a teacher of life and helps improve social development by offering opportunities for personal expression, building self-esteem, interaction and integration. Furthermore, it develops concentration which is also very useful at school.”
Do you think all young people should play sports and why?: “Absolutely yes, it is fundamental for the body, for the mind, and it is an activity that encourages one to get organized, to complete a commitment or to finish tasks early.”
Does it push students to follow a good diet? If so, in your opinion, does following a correct diet improve performance?: “Of course, it is essential for carrying out a good training session. Personally, I advise my athletes to have a rich breakfast, a carbohydrate-based lunch and a protein-based dinner. In fact, to undertake training or competitions it is necessary to guarantee the body a sufficient supply of energy. I would avoid fried foods and carbonated drinks.”
Finally, we interviewed Federica Natalizio, ASL pediatrician and asked her what the benefits of sport are: ‘They are both physical and psychological. As for physical benefits, sport helps fight cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, helps strengthen the musculoskeletal system. As for the psychological benefits: sport helps reduce stress and fight mood disorders, because it increases the release of endorphins.”
Why is sport important for a child? ”A child should do sport to prevent the cardiovascular and metabolic pathologies that now characterize our society. Learning to love a sport from an early age also helps to develop a sense of sacrifice and dedication, helps to socialize and know how to be in a group and also to learn to manage defeats.”
What diseases do you notice from poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle? ”Poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle are responsible for obesity, which is not just an aesthetic fact, but a real pathology that causes cardiovascular and metabolic problems such as hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia, diabetes. All these pathologies can coexist and determine the so-called “metabolic syndrome” which can now arise even in childhood. Furthermore, there may also be pathologies affecting the osteoarticular system.”
Our city lacks sports infrastructure that can host various activities. With only two years left until the 2026 Mediterranean Games, our hopes for the construction of sports facilities such as the swimming stadium, which currently does not exist, are dwindling. The data shows that 78.1% of the young people who responded to our questionnaire practice sports.
Among these people there are athletes and non-athletes, so in addition to focusing on the construction of the most important facilities, we should think that we would need, for example, areas equipped for practicing outdoor sports. These are the problems that those who administer the city should deal with, but given the management of the Mediterranean Games it seems that they do not have sports issues at heart. The secret to being healthy is for the body to be in movement and for the spirit to be at rest.
2024-01-11 12:29:00
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