Using A Portable Electronic Device To Measure And Promote Vegetable Intake Among Collegiate Baseball Players

PURPOSE: Use of a portable electronic device for estimating vegetable intake is growing because of their ability to provide objective and immediate results that could be used in athletic nutrition education setting. The purpose of this study was to examine daily 24-hr dietary intake recall of collegiate baseball players using photographic methods and estimate vegetable intakes using a portable electronic device. METHODS: Forty collegiate baseball players (15 pitchers, 3 catchers, 13 infielders, and 9 outfielders), (20.4 ± 1.2 years; height, 173.5 ± 4.9 cm; body mass, 72.4 ± 5.8 kg; lean body mass, 61.2 ± 4.2 kg) participated in this study. Participants were asked to take pictures of all their food eaten for 4 days (i.e., three weekdays and one weekend). We also used the Veggie-Check (Kagome Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) to assess approximate vegetables eaten for the last month. The correlation between dietary nutrient variables and Veggie-Check measurements scores were investigated. Physical performance tests included hand grip strength, back muscle strength, 30 m sprint, backward overhead medicine ball throwing, standing long jump and vertical jump. Statistical analysis utilized SPSS, with Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, setting the significance level at less than 5%. RESULTS: Overall, the baseball players met dietary their recommended energy intake (3493 kcal vs. 3489 kcal), carbohydrate (508gm vs. 494gm), or protein (123gm vs. 125gm) respectively. However, only 27.5% of players met vitamin A, 20% calcium, 27.5% magnesium, 25% vitamin D. The mean score of the Veggie-Check measurement was 4.3 ± 0.7 (estimated 180.5gm of vegetable intake). The range of scores were 3.0 ~ 6.2, (estimated 150gm ~ 350gm of vegetable intake). Positive correlations were observed between 24-hr dietary recall and the Veggie-Check scores .in the analysis of total energy and lipid, zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin B12. The relationship between Veggie-Check scores and physical performance tests were correlated only in the standing long jump. (p < 0.05) The standing long jump was 234.4 cm. CONCLUSIONS: We showed the potential utility of a portable electronic device, the Veggie-Check, for predicting the total energy and vegetable intake. The score of Veggie-Check could be used to promote better food intake among collegiate baseball players.