Runners who consumed more fat and caffeine were less prone to injuries, leading the researchers to suggest that total calorie intake could be useful for predicting future injury.

The scientists, from the University of Buffalo, looked at 87 competitive female runners who trained a minimum of 20 miles-per-week. None of the participants were injured when the study began.

They filled in questionnaires on training and medical history, reported running-related injuries during the past 12 months, and completed a 114-item food-frequency questionnaire and the Eating Attitudes Test, which is designed to assess attitudes toward food.

The researchers also measured the participants’ height, weight, body fat, maximal oxygen consumption, flexibility, balance, and the forces produced when their feet hit the ground.

After the initial assessment, the runners were contacted every three months for a year to gather information about their training and injuries.

Of the participants, 55 per cent reported a running injury during the study period. The research revealed that the injured runners consumed significantly fewer calories from fat than those without injuries.

Dr Peter Horvath, associate professor of nutrition in the University of Buffalo, suggested that the lower calorie intake plus the lower caffeine intake seen in women with injuries indicates possible restrictive eating habits.

“This low-caffeine intake may have represented an effort by the runners to avoid foods perceived as ‘bad’ or ‘unhealthy’, such as chocolate and soft drinks,” he said.

Kristen Gerlach, lead investigator, said these eating patterns could decrease the availability of nutrients used for tissue repair, making the runners more susceptible to injury. She added that low levels of dietary fat may have resulted in low supplies of energy, which could contribute to fatigue while running and also increase the chance of injury.

Dr Horvath said, “The injuries we studied were serious enough to interrupt training, to require medical visits and even result in absence from work. It’s possible this research will help us develop advice for runners, potential runners and health professionals on ways to prevent these injuries.”

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