Foods for intense muscular effort
Providing the right nutrition: before, during and after
Foods for intense muscular effort are an indispensible part of the diet for many Europeans.
From elite professional athletes to dedicated amateurs, millions of people across the continent consume foods for intense muscular effort to ensure healthy nutrition as they play competitive sport or expend other intense muscular effort.
Sports and other physical activities push the body through extreme conditions.
To prepare for, maintain and recover from high-level performance, the body needs specially-formulated products that ensure an appropriate and effective supply of fluid and nutrients.
- 62 million footballers are registered in Europe (incl. Russia)
- About 20 million EU citizens have entered a marathon or triathlon
- The European market for foods for intense muscular effort is worth more than €4bn
The growth of high-intensity sporting activity
Since the 1980s, more and more people have begun to take part in high-intensity sporting activity, with the rise in popularity of marathons, half-marathons and triathlons.
At the same time, many amateur sports teams have become better organised and participants place even greater importance on regular training and the right nutrition.
Foods for intense muscular effort help these dedicated amateurs - as well as semi-professional and professional sportsmen and women - to ensure that their bodies can handle whatever they are put through.
Foods for athletes
- Foods for intense muscular effort provide an easily-accessible source of energy: this is achieved through a specific blend of carbohydrates
- Balanced rehydration is crucial - and so is restoring sodium levels: foods for intense muscular effort contain electrolytes to enhance fluid absorption and retention
- Perform better for longer: foods for intense muscular effort optimise performance by tackling fatigue from fluid loss and reductions in energy stores
- Foods for intense muscular effort aid recovery: easily-digestible proteins and other nutrients are essential for successful recovery
A responsible industry
Our products and marketing
IDACE members are national associations. Their members are companies that make a wide range of foods for intense muscular effort, including drinks, powders, gels, bars and supplements.
We ensure that the advertising and marketing of these products are carefully targeted at people and those involved in intense sporting activity (such as long-distance running and competitive team sports) and other physically-strenuous occupations or activities.
Giving the consumer confidence
As an innovative industry, we aim to provide cutting-edge foods for intense muscular effort that provide the best response to our consumers’ needs.
IDACE and companies affiliated to its national association members support the World Anti-Doping Agency code. The companies manufacture products that maximise performance and give confidence to a range of top sportsmen and women, and which helps prevent inadvertent doping.
Regulating foods for intense muscular effort
Specialised nutrition needs specialised regulation.
In the EU, foods for intense muscular effort are partially addressed under a piece of ‘umbrella’ legislation - the PARNUTS Framework Directive. However, despite a provision in the PARNUTS law for specific legislation on ‘foods intended to meet the expenditure of intense muscular efforts’ (a ‘Sports Foods Directive’), no such law has been agreed.
IDACE believes there is a need to adopt specific legislation on foods for intense muscular effort.
FACTS & FIGURES
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About 5% of turnover is invested in research:the food industry average is 1% |
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The annual turnover of the European dietetic foods sector (including exports) is around €24bn |
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The dietetic foods sector is a world leader:each year, exports total around €8bn |
IDACE MEMBERS
