Macronutrient Intake in Competitive Nordic Athletes: Sex Differences in the NALEA Study

Abstract

Background: Nordic athletes face substantial physiological demands, making adequate dietary intake essential for performance and recovery. However, limited research has examined macronutrient intake and sex-based differences among Canadian Nordic athletes. Objective: To assess macronutrient intake and sex-based differences in nutritional intake among Canadian Nordic athletes. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Elite Canadian Nordic athletes were recruited through snowball sampling and word of mouth (13 females, 8 males; N = 21; mean age 19.58 ± 1.95 years). Dietary intake was measured using an online 24-hour dietary recall tool. Independent t-tests compared macronutrient intake between sexes, and intake was compared with ACSM sport nutrition recommendations using boxplots. Results: No significant sex-based differences were observed for any macronutrient after adjusting for body mass (carbohydrates p = 0.52; protein p = 0.53; fat p = 0.42). Both sexes consumed sufficient protein (1.2-2.0 g/kg/day) and fat (25% of total dietary intake), but many athletes did not meet the carbohydrate recommendations (approximately 6-10 g/kg/day) for their estimated training load of approximately 1-3 hours of moderate-to-high-intensity exercise per day. Conclusion: Targeted nutrition education, particularly around carbohydrate intake, may help support adequate fueling among competitive Canadian Nordic athletes.