Vegetarian Diet for Exercise and Athletic Training and Performing: An Update
A Continuing Education Article
by D. Enette Larson, MS, RD, LD

An increasing number of athletes are adopting vegetarian diets for ecological, economic, religious, health and ethical reasons. Vegetarian diets (except possibly fruitarian and strict macrobiotic diets) can easily meet the nutritional requirements of all types of athletes provided they contain a variety of plant-foods. Vegetarian athletes, like most athletes, may benefit from education on food choices that benefit athletic performance and promote overall health.
Energy and Macronutrient Requirements.

Energy. Energy needs of active vegetarians vary considerably and depend on the athlete's body size, body composition, gender, training regimen and activity pattern. As reviewed by Goran (1), energy expenditure was found to vary from about 2600 kcal/d in female swimmers to about 8,500 kcal/d in male cyclists participating in the Tour de France bicycle race. In clinical practice, assessing daily energy expenditure (DEE) of athletes may be difficult. Thompson and Manore (2) recently reported that resting metabolic rate (RMR) of endurance-trained athletes can be accurately estimated using the Cunningham equation which is based on fat-free mass rather than body mass. According to some studies, RMR is acutely elevated after exercise (3) and is about 11% higher in vegetarians compared to nonvegetarians (4) which is difficult to account for in prediction equations. Accurately estimating nonresting energy expenditure is extremely difficult due to individual variations in energy expenditure during both exercise/training and daily physical activity (1, 3). As discussed by Gorang an estimate of average weekly training regimen using an activity chart (found in many exercise physiology and nutrition texts). Vegetarians, especially vegans, reportedly have lower energy intakes and more difficulty meeting energy requirements than nonvegetarians due to the low caloric density of their diets (5). Nutritionists, however, are likely to encounter vegetarian athletes with a variety of energy needs. Some will need to consume 6-8 meals/snacks per day to meet energy needs. Others may require weight loss for health and/or performance reasons. Eating plans, such as those developed by Houtkooper (6) and Messina and Messina (7), are helpful for educating vegetarian and vegan athletes.