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Athlete Nutrition for Special Categories

Course Description: This course describes the different areas of sports nutrition and identifies its general principles through practical examples in specific athletic activities such as (weightlifting, strength sports, bodybuilding, wrestling, track and field... and others). It also discusses the nutritional needs of pregnant and breastfeeding female athletes. Furthermore, it addresses the energy requirements of the elderly during physical activity. The course also explains the nutritional goals for athletes and an understanding of energy balance and how to achieve positive and negative energy balance for weight loss. It also covers the basics of nutrition for athletes in childhood, adolescence, and youth. Additionally, it details nutritional strategies for athletes with various injuries and chronic illnesses, as well as eating disorders.

Credit hours: 3

Objectives of the course :

This course aims to provide knowledge of sports nutrition for special populations.
1- Lists the different areas of sports nutrition.
2- Explains the general principles of sports nutrition through practical examples in sports activities.
It clarifies the nutritional goals for athletes.
4. Understand energy balance and how to achieve a positive and negative balance for weight loss.
5- Reviews the foundations of nutrition for child athletes and athletes in adolescence and youth.
6 - It presents nutritional management methods for various injuries and chronic diseases in athletes, as well as for eating disorders.

Course outputs :

Knowledge and understanding:

Weight regulation and energy balance are known.
Discusses how to deal with obesity and positive/negative energy balance, weight loss, and weight gain for athletes with special needs.
It connects the energy needs of children, adolescents, and young athletes during different growth stages.
It identifies the needs of pregnant and breastfeeding women athletes, and discusses the energy needs of the elderly during physical activity.
This discusses the cognitive and applied fields of sports nutrition for injury prevention, how to manage athletes with chronic diseases, and dealing with eating disorders.
Discusses how to deal with vegetarian and food-allergic athletes and how this relates to their respective performance levels.

Skills:

Formulating the concept of energy balance and weight control for athletes.
Calculates nutritional needs for athletes with chronic illnesses, eating disorders, food allergies, and vegetarians.
Assessing the nutritional needs of female athletes, especially pregnant and breastfeeding women, and during menstrual cycles, in addition to older athletes in general, for various nutrients.
Modern technological applications are used in designing nutrition programs for athletes.

Values and Responsibility

Demonstrate integrity, values, and professional ethics when dealing with the nutritional issues and problems of athletes with special needs.
Practices professional tasks and activities in sports nutrition programs for special groups effectively and independently.
Collaborates effectively within projects or research or professional groups, and leads and takes responsibility while working.

Additional information:

The extent of achievement of the course learning outcomes is measured through direct assessment (oral exams, mid-term and final written exams, homework, reports, and research, presentations).

Last Updated: 2026-05-11