Nutrition for specific activities or conditions

The benefits of these diet guidelines can be accounted for from our knowledge of metabolism. 

It has been known for centuries that nutrition is important for physical activity. The importance of ingestion of car- 

In contrast, when food has to be carried for very prolonged arduous endurance activities, a higher intake of fat is essential (see below). These points are discussed in Chapter 13. 

It might be considered that running an ultramarathon (various distances from 50 to 100 miles), completing a 24-hour race, racing in the Tour de France or climbing Mount Everest are the ultimate in endurance activities. However, these activities may seem physically insignificant when compared with transantarctic expeditions, such as that carried out by R. Fiennes and M. Stroud in 1992-93. Not only was it a remarkable endurance feat but they carried out smdies on energy expenditure, body composition and nutrition. To illustrate this feat, we can do no better than quote from Mike Stroud s paper. 

During the southern summer of 1992/93, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and I set out from the Atlantic coast of the Antarctic, aiming to perform the first crossing of the continent unaided by other men, animals or machines. Behind us we each towed sledges weighing 222 kg which contained 100 days of food, fuel and essential survival equipment. 

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