Energy expenditure during training and official league match in professional female soccer players - a pilot study.

Background: The most important component of a well-balanced diet is the proper energetic value. However, adequate estimation of the body's energy needs is difficult for professional athletes, including soccer players. There is little research showing energy expenditure during training and lack of studies on the energy expenditure of professional female soccer players during a match.

Objective: The aim of our study was to estimate energy expenditure during training and official league match in female soccer players and comparing it.

Material and methods: Seven Polish professionally practicing soccer females (23.4±6,6 years old; 63.5±7.8 kg; 168.5±5.8 cm; 46±4.4 kg fat-free mass) participated in the study. The participants had their height and body mass measured. Energy expenditure during activities was measured by means of a SenseWear Pro3 Armband device. Body composition was assessed with Akern BIA 101 Anniversary Sport Edition device.

Results: Statistically higher energy expenditure was achieved in the study group during the match hour (452±55 kcal/hour) compared to the training hour (353±28 kcal/ hour) as well as in the case of energy expenditure per hour of activity per kg of fat-free mass (match: 9.94±1.75 kcal/kg fat-free mass/hour; training: 7.71±0.8 kcal/kg fat-free mass/hour). During one hour of training, more time was spent on sedentary, light, and moderate activities, but the difference was statistically significant only for light activities. More time during the match hour than during the training hour was spent on vigorous and very vigorous activities.

Conclusions: In conclusion, the energy expenditure of the players during the match was greater than in the case of the planned intensive training, which was caused by the timeshare of more intense physical activities and going a longer distance during match.