FEATURE: NUTRITIONAL PREPARATION UTRITION GAMES The last time we had a home improve performance and recovery (bothteam of sports dietitians, set up a Commonwealth Games was in 2006 in training and competition situations),nutrition information desk in the dining when the games were held in Melbourne.maintain good hydration status, improvehall of the Athlete’s Village, as well as In the 12 years since these Games,rehab and injury outcomes and help theproviding nutrition support services Australian sports have progressed withathlete cope with the demands of travel.through fact sheets and consultations a focus for greater individualisation forPlus more recently, an increasingfor all athletes at the Games, not just each athlete in their planning andinvolvement in ensuring a better the Australian team. preparation for competition. Nutritionunderstanding of safe and effective services are an integral part of thissupplements to use. Continuing this inclusion of dietitians in preparation for competition. This has Games’ food service preparation is vital, been reflected through greater inclusionThe growth of increased nutritionespecially when considering the role of dietitians working with individualinclusion in sport can also be seen on afood plays in athlete performance. Food athletes, team sports and an increasedlarger scale in a Games environment. Theat Commonwealth Games and multi- presence at sporting events. Sydney 2000 Olympic Games was one ofnational events need to consider not only the first Games events to have a dietitian,the nutrition demands of the athletes, but The value and impact of a dietitian is alsoFiona Pelly, working with catering staff toalso various cultural, religious and clinical growing and evolving from providingreview and approve the menu and foodrequirements, not to mention the general nutrition information, to specificprovided in the dining hall (Pelly, 2009).practical and logistical requirements and individualised nutritional advice.Learnings from this experience helpedof bringing people together to gather Sports Dietitians, with their expertto demonstrate the need for dietitianand meet through food. nutrition advice, are becoming moreinvolvement in the preparation and integrated in sports to have a moredelivery of nutrition services at allAthletes are increasing their body holistic understanding of how athletesGames events (Burkhart, 2013). awareness and are appreciating the are responding and adapting to training impact nutrition can have on which allows for more specific dietaryThe 2006 Melbourne Commonwealthperformance. Opinions, likes and dislikes, intervention. This includes being able toGames appointed a sports dieteticsbeliefs, culture and clinical requirements develop nutrition strategies which cancoordinator, Karen Inge, who along with aare all guided by the athlete. Dietitians VOLUME 36 • APRIL ISSUE 2018 21 okneman_a/kcotsknihT