recommended that endurance athletes consume no less than 1 g/kg/d of fat. Tis is a practical and prudent recommendation, but other evi- dence to support this guideline is lacking. Most importantly, athletes should be discouraged from avoiding fat and implementating chronic extreme fat restriction. When acute fat restriction is practiced—com- mon for athletes trying to make weight—it should be limited to very short-term scenarios. Fat restriction is widely considered acceptable in making-weight sports for the two to three days leading up to competi- tion weigh-ins. Acute fat restriction may also be beneficial just before a sporting event or training session or during carbohydrate-loading, where considerations of preferred macronutrients or gastrointestinal comfort have priority. It is important to note that the requirements associated with extreme fat restriction will likely reduce the intake of a variety of nutrients and food components. Chronic fat restriction may also specifically limit the intake of key fat-related nutrients, such as fat-soluble vitamins, essential fatty acids (especially n-3 fatty acids),


and fat-soluble phytonutrients. Tese nutrients are of value to the overall health of an athlete, and lack of these nutrients may lead to acute or chronic decrements in athletic performance. Some athletes may be interested in following extremely high-fat diets based on claims that this


practice can promote beneficial metabolic adaptations to support or improve athletic performance. Several human studies have investigated this over the last five years and have broadened our under- standing of the concept.15-19


Although it is clear that metabolic adaptations do occur in response to


high-fat feeding, claims that extremely high-fat, carbohydrate-restricted diets provide a benefit to the performance of competitive athletes have not been proven. Current literature describing metabolic adaptations that occur in athletes on high-fat diets are outlined later in the chapter. However, given the variability in fat intake among athletes, different athlete types and training demands, and differ- ences in fast- and slow-twitch muscle fat utilization, it is not easy to recommend a universal level for fat consumption that will optimize athletic performance. Furthermore, the way fat intake influences chronic health and disease and emerging evidence describing genetic differences in fat utilization add to the complexity.20


Public Health Recommendations: Total Fat Intake


Te AMDR provides a good starting point for evaluating and recommending dietary fat intake for athletes. Total fat intake recommendations are oſten fine-tuned aſter other macronutrient demands are determined based on training macrocycles and microcycles and day-to-day training periodization. Consuming 20% to 35% of total energy from fat as part of a well-chosen diet will allow athletes to meet their needs for essen- tial fatty acids without increasing their risk for coronary heart disease. Te AMDR for total fat intake is in line with the 2014 American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) recom- mendations for total fat intake. Tese guidelines suggest that overall dietary pattern is more important than individual foods and call for a diet that emphasizes incorporating unsaturated, plant-based fats low in sat- urated fat and trans fat.21


ACC/AHA guidelines allow for Mediterranean diet patterns that may provide up


to 35% or more of total calories from fat, primarily from fatty fish, avocados, nuts, and olive and canola oils. Tese guidelines support the claim of some researchers that the type of dietary fat is much more important than the quantity in relation to heart health.22


Given the elevated energy needs of most athletes, a well-


chosen diet that includes dietary fat from many heart-healthy food sources aligned with the AMDR is likely to meet essential fatty acid needs without added risk for heart disease. When making recommendations for athletes, consider total fat intake demands for the training and competition stages of the training cycle, the importance of promoting gastrointestinal tolerance, whether added fat intake is displacing other essential macronutrients, and whether recommendations align with public health guidelines.


64 SECTION 1: SPORTS NUTRITION BASICS


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