Nutrition and Health (NSQF Physical Education)
Nutrition and Health tests the balanced diet, energy yield of macronutrients, micronutrient deficiencies, hydration, body composition and basic health and first-aid knowledge. Expect one calculation plus several "which nutrient / which deficiency" items.
Nutrients and energy
- Carbohydrate 4 kcal/g - main fuel for high-intensity work; 6–10 g/kg/day for training athletes.
- Protein 4 kcal/g - 1.2–2.0 g/kg/day for strength athletes, 0.8–1.0 g/kg for general adults.
- Fat 9 kcal/g - 20–35% of energy; carries fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
- Vitamins and minerals supply no energy but regulate metabolism. Water: 2–3 L/day, more in heat; a 2% loss of body mass through dehydration impairs performance.
Deficiency and health links
Vitamin A – night blindness; thiamine (B1) – beriberi; vitamin C – scurvy; vitamin D – rickets; iron – anaemia; iodine – goitre. Protein deficiency – kwashiorkor (with oedema); protein-energy deficiency – marasmus.
First aid essentials
RICE for soft-tissue injury: rest, ice for 15–20 minutes, compression, elevation. CPR: compressions at 100–120 per minute with a 30:2 compression–ventilation ratio.
Worked example
A player weighs 65 kg and is 1.70 m tall. BMI = 65 ÷ (1.70 × 1.70) = 65 ÷ 2.89 = 22.5 kg/m², inside the normal range of 18.5–24.9. Square the height in metres, not centimetres. If the same player weighed 80 kg: 80 ÷ 2.89 ≈ 27.7 kg/m² - overweight.
Traps
Using 4 kcal/g for fat; squaring height in centimetres; treating BMI as a direct measure of body-fat percentage; swapping kwashiorkor and marasmus; forgetting that A, D, E and K are the fat-soluble vitamins.