Irish dance requires lengthy, intensive training to perform at a high level in competitions and professionally. Irish dancers have been known to have high injury rates. Appropriate nutrient and fluid intakes have been shown to minimize the risk of fatigue and injury during training and performance in sport, but there is a lack of evidence as to whether and how this might apply in Irish dance. Forty adult Irish dancers, 35 females (age 21 ± 3 years) and five males (aged 27 ± 8 years), professionals or in full time training, were recruited for this study to investigate nutrition knowledge, dietary intake, and body composition. Participants were asked to complete "The Sport Nutrition Questionnaire," a sport- and dance-specific nutrition knowledge questionnaire, 4 day estimated food diaries, and under-take a dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan to assess body composition. Food diaries were analyzed using Dietplan 7. Reported energy, fiber, iron (females), magnesium (females), selenium, iodine (females), and folate (females) intakes were below United Kingdom dietary reference values. Fruit and vegetable intakes were low: 2.7 ± 1.4 portions per day. Sixteen percent of days reported contained no fruits or vegetables. Mean body mass index (BMI) for 35 female participants was 23.2 ± 3.3 kg/m2, mean BMI for five male participants was 22.2 ± 1.6 kg/m2. Mean body fat measured by DXA in 18 female participants was 33.4% ± 6.9%, which was higher than seen in other dance populations. Mean lean mass was 40.8 ± 5.6 kg. Mean score for the nutrition knowledge questionnaire in which the maximum score is 65, was 30.5 ± 7.6 (47% ± 11.7%), range: 9 to 44 (14% to 68%). The ability of the Irish dancers to correctly identify foods as being high or low in carbohydrate, protein, and fat varied widely. Body composition did not correlate with intake of any nutrient but did correlate with nutrition knowledge questionnaire score (r = -.663, p < 0.001). Given the dietary intakes and nutrition knowledge exhibited by the dancers in this study, further work is needed to inform and improve diets and support the demands of Irish dance.

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N a c h r i c h t. n a wegen cles notlimendigen Abdrrickes d e s Aufsatzes des Iierrn LL' l'crricr iiber deli von ihm entdeckten Planeten, der Abdruck cler BesseZ'scheri Ahhandlung unterbrocheri werden muf&, so zeigte ich seitdeni i l l t i Endc der PIuninierri an, dafs die nocli zu BesseZ's Ahhandlung gehiirigen Nr. 578 und Nr. 579 nacligeliefert werdcn sollten. Demolinerachtet sind so viele Bathfr;lgen nach diesrn Nuiniiiern cingrgangeri, uotl gehen noch ein, dars ich es fur nutzlich hiiltc aiich am Anfange dieser Sunlnier zu erLliiicbn, tl,if:i xr. 5 7 8 schon gciiel't.rt ist, uiid N r . 579 bald folgeli wird. S. Sclirc,iLe~i des H c i m PiwfcssorsCIznZZiis, Directois clcr Cambridger Sicmwarie , a n den IIcrausgebr:~..Ciwibridge Observatory 1846. Octbr, 21.

It has long been known that the effect of nutrition intake on sports performance is significant (1,2). There is a lack of information on the effect of nutrition specifically on dance performance but as dance has been described as a high intensity intermittent exercise (3) it is similar to that of a multi-sprint team sport (4). There is evidence that dancers do not consume an adequate intake of some nutrients (5). Before dietary behaviour can change in athletes and dancers, knowledge of desired behaviour is required (6). While there is some information available as to the nutrition knowledge of dancers, (7) there is none as yet on Irish Dancers. This study looks at initial questionnaires from a longitudinal study on nutrition knowledge and intakes in Irish Dancers. 32 Irish dancers (30 female, 2 male, mean age 21•5 years, SD2•7) either in full time vocational training or professional dancers were recruited in Limerick. All participants were screened with EAT-26 and completed a validated sports nutrition knowledge questionnaire (8) modified only for local foods/drinks. Ethical approval was granted through the procedures of the University of Roehampton and the University of Limerick. Mean score for the questionnaire was 30•3/65, SD7•9 (47 %, SD12 %), range 9-44 (14-68 %). This compared with 85 % scored by nutrition students, 45 % scored by business students and 59 % scored by fitness students in the validation of the original questionnaire. The ability of the Irish dancers to correctly identify foods as being high or low in carbohydrate, protein and fat varied widely. Mean (SD) score for correctly identifying foods high or low in carbohydrate was 4•1(1•4) out of 6, for foods high or low in protein 4•7 (1•6) out of 6, for foods high or low in fat 2•8 (1•4) out of 7. 11 participants (34 %) identified pasta as a high fat food, while 10 (31 %) participants identified butter as a high carbohydrate food. Although 11 (34 %) believed that salt tablets should be used to treat cramp in dancers, 30 (94 %) were able to correctly identify suitable drinks for after a training session. Nutrition knowledge amongst Irish dancers is variable, and knowledge of macronutrient content is not consistent. Without knowledge of macronutrient content of foods making choices based on recommendations to support dance training and performance will be difficult. These findings highlight the importance of providing accurate information to this group to allow them to make the best choices of food to support dance training and performance.

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