NCBI NIH Pubmed Scientific Study: Diet of Kenyan Marathon Distance Endurance Runners

National Institutes of Health - NIH


Diet of Kenyan marathon distance and endurance runners.

Study: "Food and Macronutrient Intake of Elite Kenyan Distance Runners"

Research Authors: Pitsiladis, Y. P., Onywera, V. O., Kiplamai, F. K., Tuitoek, P. J., Boit, M. K.

Peer-Reviewed Journal: International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism


RESEARCH:


The subjects in the present study (Kenyan elite distance runners) consumed a diet with a variety of foods, mainly of vegetable origin. ( Elite marathon runners were 99% vegetarian).

This study is in agreement with other published dietary studies of endurance athletes from other countries(5,6).  (Tarahumara indians 96% vegetarian, Ethiopians 95% vegetarian)
The staple foods--bread, boiled rice, boiled potatoes, porridge, cabbage, sugar, kidney beans, milk, and ugali (corn)--collectively accounting for 88% of total diet and energy intake, with meat comprising only about 1% of total energy intake in the diet. This high contribution from vegetable sources is very similar to the 96% previously reported(5,6) [In other Kenyan studies].

The macronutrient distribution [carbs, protein, fat] of the energy intake in the current study is also very similar to the two previous studies. The 3 studies of Kenyans showed: Carbs 71%(5), 78%(4), 77% (current study); And fat 15%, 9%, 13%; And protein 15%, 13%, 10%, respectively. [Similar to an 80-10-10 plant-based diet. High carb, high grain, low fat, low protein, 99% vegetarian diet which resulted in top record-breaking marathon runners and athletes.]

Despite the number of foods, there was No evidence of any malnourishment at the micronutrient level in these studies and the foods were generally considered to be of high nutritional quality.

The most successful marathon distance runners follow a 99% vegetarian diet.


[_]

---

Sharable image:

Chart: Study confirms 95% Vegetarian diet used by top Ethiopian Marathon athletes

Vegetarian diet being used by Ethiopians to set Marathon speed records



SOURCE: Confirmed peer-reviewed Scientific Study - "Food and Macronutrient intake of elite Ethiopian Distance Runners by Lukas Y Beis, Lena Willkomm, et al. - The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 011 8:7 - Published in BioMed Central.


Ethiopian top elite distance runners are eating a diet which is 92% Vegan, and 95% Vegetarian for World Class Marathon wins. Setting some of the fastest running times on earth.

##













TAGS: NPR active.com authority nutrition authoritynutrition bacon badwater best diet for a marathon primal blueprint robb wolf muscle carbohydrates carbs carnivore caveman diet chris kresser crossfit denise minger fail james dinicolantonio eric berg Ethiopian fat fructose gary taubes gluten free grass fed beef grassfed chicken Guiness Book of World Records Ironman jimmy moore john durant laura and john arnold foundation Dan Lieberman barefoot professor livinlavidalowcarb lowcarb robert lustig marathon clinic mark sisson marks daily apple marksdailyapple mercola Mudder ndsu nusi omnivore Paleo paleolithic recipes perlmutter grain-brain plantpositive primitivenutrition raw-food-sos runner's world runnersworld samantha chang Spartan Race stoneage studies sugar Tarahumara Indians Tim Noakes track Triathlon Tribe ultra-marathon unprocessed western states 100 mile weston a price foundation wheat-belly wheatbelly william davis wod workout runnersconnect dan lieberman harvard barefoot running barefoot-professor born-to-run rift valley long-distance running fastest marathon runners iten, kenya mo farah willson kipsang paula ratcliffe ian kiprono Simon Biwott

Bar Chart-Scientific analysis of Kenyan marathon runners shows 96% to 99% Vegetarian diet - Non-Lowcarb.

Bar Chart:

Scientific Study reveals the Diet of the top Kalenjin Marathon distance athletes.

Kenyan Marathon runners are over 90+ percent Vegan, and over 96+ percent Vegetarian.

SOURCE: Fully confirmed peer-reviewed scientific journal: The British Journal of Nutrition - "Food and Macronutrient Intake of Male adolescent Kalenjin Runners in Kenya" - Center for African Studies, Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre, Dept of Medical Sciences, Nutrition Unit, Uppsala Sweden (2002), 88, 711–717 DOI: 10.1079/BJN2002728

(CLICK THE IMAGE TO READ THE GRAPH IN A LARGER VIEW)

This is Study #1 of 2 fully authenticated scientific dietary analyses made down to the gram (g) of the diet of the Kenyan kalenjin elite distance runners.

The scientific nutritional analysis published in the peer-reviewed British Journal of Nutrition showed a nutrient intake for the top elite Kenyan runners that is plant-based, grain-fueled anti-paleo, and approximately 96% Vegetarian.

This is the diet that has been producing, along with other factors, some of the fittest athletes and fastest marathon and distance runners on earth.


##












TAGS:
active.com authority nutrition authoritynutrition bacon badwater best diet for a marathon primal blueprint robb wolf muscle carbohydrates carbs carnivore caveman diet chris kresser crossfit denise minger fail james dinicolantonio eric berg Ethiopian fat fructose gary taubes gluten free grass fed beef grassfed chicken Guiness Book of World Records Ironman jimmy moore john durant laura and john arnold foundation livinlavidalowcarb lowcarb robert lustig marathon clinic mark sisson marks daily apple marksdailyapple mercola Mudder ndsu nusi omnivore Paleo paleolithic recipes perlmutter grain-brain plantpositive primitivenutrition raw-food-sos runner's world runnersworld samantha chang Spartan Race stoneage studies sugar Tarahumara Indians Tim Noakes track Triathlon Tribe ultra-marathon unprocessed western states 100 mile weston a price foundation wheat-belly wheatbelly william davis wod workout runnersconnect dan lieberman harvard barefoot running barefoot-professor born-to-run rift valley long-distance running fastest marathon runners iten, kenya mo farah willson kipsang paula ratcliffe ian kiprono Simon Biwott