The Correlation between Energy and Carbohydrate Intake with

Physical Fitness among Adolescent Students Who Practice Soccer

Irma Kristiana

, Agus Kristiyanto

and Muthmainah

Postgraduate Student of Human Nutritional Science, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia

Faculty of Sports, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia

Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia

Keywords: Physical Fitness, Energy Intake, Carbohydrate Intake, Soccer, Adolescent.

Abstract: A person's physical fitness is essential for sports practice or competition. A good of energy and carbohydrates

intake can improve human physical fitness. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between energy and

carbohydrate intake with the physical fitness of adolescent students who practice soccer. This study used a

cross-sectional design with a sample of 65 adolescent students in Surakarta. The analysis used in this study is

the Spearman Rank test. The results showed a connection between energy intake and physical fitness

(p=0.043). The r-value is -0.252, indicating that the correlation is weak. The negative connection suggests

that the link between variables is inversely proportional, which means that the higher the energy intake, the

lower the physical fitness of adolescent students. Furthermore, no correlation was found between

carbohydrate intake and physical fitness (p=0.746). It is principal to broaden the information on balanced

human nutrition, specifically energy and carbohydrate intakes, for adolescent students to achieve paramount

physical fitness.

1 INTRODUCTION

The prevalence of students who enjoy soccer is

relatively high, at 73.7% (Christiawan, 2019).

Students interested in soccer must always be

supported with good physical health since football is

played in two rounds, each of which has a reasonably

long game time of 45 minutes. Physical fitness is

related to the health and ability of students to perform

quality daily activities before getting tired (Kuswari

& Gifari, 2020). One benchmark for assessing

adolescent students' physical fitness is using maximal

oxygen consumption (VO

max) (Millah & Priana,

2020).

Students with a low physical fitness level are still

relatively common in Indonesia. According to Bayu

(2017), the percentage of students with poor physical

fitness is approximately 45%. Physical fitness is a

person's ability to easily fulfil their daily task without

getting excessively tired and still have the energy to

carry out other activities (Giriwijoyo & Sidik, 2012).

Low physical fitness may reduce the speed and skill

of soccer players. Physical fitness is vital for soccer

players to have good stamina, to survive the match

(Utoro & Dieny, 2016).

One of the factors that can affect a person's

physical fitness is nutrient intake. The body needs a

source of energy to operate daily. One of the major

nutrients in the form of energy is carbohydrates. An

imbalance in nutrient intake may subside a person's

physical fitness. To elaborate, both insufficient and

excessive amounts of nutrient intake may have an

unfavourable effect on the body's physiological

function (Penggalih, 2019; Pertiwi & Murbawani,

2012).

Adolescence is a developmental transition period

between childhood and adulthood. The period

typically begins at 12 and ends in the late teens or

early twenties (Papalia et al., 2001). Sports that are

practiced regularly and in adequate amounts can

improve a person's physical fitness (Bardiansyah,

2013; Sepriadi et al., 2020). One practice that can

improve physical fitness is soccer.

The novelty of this study is the research was

conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. This

research was carried out with due regard to and

implementation the health protocols imposed by the

Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia.

Based on the description above, the researchers

wanted to examine and observe the correlation

Kristiana, I., Kristiyanto, A. and Muthmainah, .

The Correlation between Energy and Carbohydrate Intake with Physical Fitness among Adolescent Students Who Practice Soccer.

DOI: 10.5220/0011662600003608

In Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Social Determinants of Health (ICSDH 2022), pages 123-126

ISBN: 978-989-758-621-7; ISSN: 2975-8297

 2023 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. Under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

123

between energy and carbohydrate intake with

physical fitness among students' who practice soccer.

2 MATERIALS AND METHODS

This research is an analytic observational study with

a cross-sectional approach. This study aims to define

the correlation of energy and carbohydrate intake

with the physical fitness of students who practice

soccer aged between 12-16 years. This research was

conducted in October-November 2021 at the Bonansa

Soccer Education Training Center of Sebelas Maret

University, Solo, with a sample of 65 students

gathered with the total sampling technique.

The independent variables in this study were

energy and carbohydrate intake, whereas the

dependent variable was physical fitness. Information

on energy and carbohydrate intake was obtained by

questioning respondents' eating habits in the past

month using a Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency

Questionnaire (SQFFQ). The data was then analysed

to determine the average value of the respondents'

daily energy and carbohydrate consumption by

calculating each food ingredient's energy and

carbohydrate amount using the Nutrisurvey 2007.

Physical fitness data was acquired using the

Multistage Fitness Test (MFT) method by requesting

respondents to run back and forth on a 20-meter track.

Data analysis was performed using the SPSS

program version 22. The univariate analysis was

applied to describe the characteristics of the research

subjects. The bivariate analysis used was the

Spearman Rank test, this was because the distribution

of data on energy and carbohydrate intake was not

normal. The significance level used is α=0.05.

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Results

3.1.1 Respondent Characteristics

The data in table 1 shows that 100% of the

respondents in this study were male. The research

subjects were adolescence between 12-16 years old,

and most were 12 years old (58,5%). The frequency

of the respondent's exercise is measured by asking the

frequency of the respondent's exercise during the past

month. The frequency of the respondent's exercise

shows that most respondents have poor exercise

frequency (60%). Most of the respondents had a

normal of energy intake (73,8%) and carbohydrates

intake (58.5%). Then, most respondents had very

poor physical fitness (47.7%).

Table 1: Distribution Frequency of Respondents

Characteristics.

Characteristics of Respondents (n) (%)

Gender

Male 65 100

Age

12 years 38 58,5

13 years 15 23,1

14 years 9 13,8

15 years 2 3,1

16 years 1 1,5

Exercise Frequency

Poor (< 12x/month) 39 60

Good (≥ 12x/month) 26 40

Energy Intake

Deficit

Normal

Excessive

24,6

73,8

1,5

Carbohydrate Intake

Deficit

Normal

41,5

58,5

Physical Fitness (VO

max)

Very Poor

Poor

Average

Good

Very Good

47,7

18,5

21,5

10,8

1,5

3.1.2 The Correlation between Energy and

Carbohydrate Intake with Physical

Fitness

The data in table 2 demonstrates that the results of the

Spearman Rank test between energy intake and

physical fitness show a significant correlation with

weak correlation and a negative pattern (p = 0.043; r

= -0.252), meaning that the data is inversely

proportional, i.e., if energy intake increases, the

physical fitness decreases. Contrastingly, the

statistical tests between carbohydrate intake and

physical fitness show no correlation, which was

indicated by a p-value = 0,746.

Table 2: The Correlation between Energy and Carbohydrate

Intake with Physical Fitness of Adolescent Students.

Nutrition

Intake

sical Fitness

Mean ± SD

Energ

1923,79 ± 179,67 -0,252 0,043

Carbohydrate 254,14 ± 25,37 -0,041 0,746

ICSDH 2022 - The International Conference on Social Determinants of Health

124

3.2 Discussion

In this study, there was a significant connection

between energy intake and physical fitness among

adolescence students with soccer practices (p=0.043;

p<0.05). This result conforms with the research of

Muthmainah et al. (2019), which remarked a

significant correlation between energy intake and

physical fitness of the male adolescents at Harbi

soccer school training. In addition, this study also

corroborates the research conducted by Mustakim

and Ahmad (2016) and Fitriani and Purwaningtyas

(2021), which indicated a significant relationship

between energy intake and physical fitness.

The interview result found that the respondent's

nutrient intake fulfillment relies on the food served in

their respective homes, either prepared by their

families or bought from restaurants. This indication is

rooted in the fact that every student only comes to the

practice site during the scheduled time and goes home

once their practice is finished. The variation of menus

with different quantities will result in other calorie

counts between respondents.

Good energy intake is an important component of

a person's physical fitness because human muscles

require energy to contract, which can enable a person

to carry out daily activities. The energy used by

muscles in the form of Adenosine Triphosphate

(ATP) results from the oxidation of various nutrients

found in food, including proteins, fats, and

carbohydrates. Excessive energy intake can affect

body weight. A person's body weight can affect

nutritional status. Then, nutritional status can affect a

person's physical fitness (Almatsier et al., 2013). A

person with excessive energy intake can also decline

their physical fitness. Nutrients are required to

provide energy for various activities (Penggalih,

2019).

This study's statistical results showed no

connection between carbohydrate intake and physical

fitness (p = 0.746; p>0.05). The result is in line with

Dewi and Kuswari (2013) research, which also

revealed no correlation between carbohydrate intake

and physical fitness. Pertiwi's research (2012) also

proved no relationship between carbohydrate intake

and physical fitness. This lack of connection maybe

caused by other factors apart from food intake, one of

which is the frequency of exercise.

Nevertheless, carbohydrate still plays a dominant

role in improving one's physical fitness since they

provide the highest amount of energy compared to

protein and fat (Penggalih, 2019). Human store

carbohydrates in the form of glucose and glycogen

inside the muscles and liver. The muscles then can

directly use that glycogen to form energy.

Carbohydrate administration aims to replenish the

muscle while the liver-stored glycogen is used for

muscle contraction. A person with a low amount of

glycogen will be prone to fatigue. If one does not

consume enough carbohydrates daily, the body will

reduce the amount of glycogen stored in the muscle

and liver. A decrease in glycogen may decrease a

person's physical fitness (Welis & Rifki, 2013). One

gram of carbohydrates produces energy of 4 kcal.

In addition to food intake, the frequency of

exercise also has a vital role in maintaining and

enhancing a person's physical fitness. According to

Budiwanto (2012), frequent exercise can maintain

and improve physical wellness. The recommended

amount of exercise is 3-5 times per week or at least

12 times per month. The study found a 60%

prevalence of teenagers who exercise less than twelve

times a month.

Furthermore, physical fitness can also be

interpreted as the level of a person's aerobic capacity,

which is obtained from the VO

max value. VO

max

refers to the intensity of the aerobic practice and

indicates the person's maximum capacity to transport

and utilize oxygen during moderate-intensity

exercise. VO

max is the highest oxygen consumption

level achieved during extreme exercise (Rancovic et

al., 2010).

4 CONCLUSIONS

This study concluded that there is a connection

between energy intake and physical fitness of male

adolescents with a negative proportionate

relationship, the higher of energy intake, the lower the

physical fitness is. On the contrary, carbohydrate

intake does not correlate with physical fitness.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The researcher would like to express our gratitude to

the director and coach of the Bonansa Soccer

Training Center of Sebelas Maret University, Solo,

for accommodating this research and to all the

students and parents for participating in this study.

The Correlation between Energy and Carbohydrate Intake with Physical Fitness among Adolescent Students Who Practice Soccer

125

REFERENCES

Almatsier, S., Soetardjo, S., & Soekatri, M. 2013. Gizi

Seimbang dalam Daur Kehidupan. PT Gramedia Pustaka

Utama

Bardiansyah, S. A. 2013. Kapasitas Vital Paru dan VO

max

Siswa SMP IT Roudlotus Saidiyyah Semarang.

Universitas Negeri Semarang

Bayu, I. M. A. 2017. Profil Tingkat VO2max pada Siswa

Sekolah Sepak Bola (SSB) Palembang Muda. Wahan

Didaktika

Budiwanto, S. 2012. Metodologi Latihan Olahraga.

Universitas Negeri Malang

Christiawan, Y. 2019. Kesesuaian antara Minat Siswa

dalam Mengikuti Program Ekstrakurikuler Sepak Bola

dan Daya Dukung Sarana dan Prasarana SMP Negeri

Se-Kecamatan Karanganyar Tahun Ajaran 2018-2019.

Universitas Sebelas Maret

Dewi, E. K., & Kuswari, M. 2013. Hubungan Asupan Zat

Gizi Makro dan Status Gizi terhadap Kebugaran Atlet

Bulu Tangkis Jaya Raya pada Atlet Laki-laki dan

Perempuan di Asrama Atlet Ragunan Tahun 2013.

Nutrire Diaita

Fitriani, A., & Purwaningtyas, D. R. 2021. Relationship

between BMI, Energy Intake, Macro Nutrient Intake,

and Cardiorespiratory Fitness among Female College

Students in Jakarta. Science and Technology

Publication

Giriwijoyo, S., & Sidik D. Z. 2012. Ilmu Kesehatan

Olahraga. PT Remaja Rosdakarya

Kuswari, M., & Gifari, N. 2020. Periodisasi Gizi dan

Latihan. PT Rajagrafindo Persada

Millah, H., & Priana, A. 2020. Pengembangan Perhitungan

Kapasitas Volume Oksigen Maksimal (VO2max)

menggunakan Tes Lari 2,4 KM Berbasis Aplikasi

Android. Gelanggang Olahraga Jurnal Pendidikan

Jasmani dan Olahraga

Mustakim., & Ahmad, K. 2016. Nutritional Status, Nutrient

Intakes, and Physical Activity in Relation to Physical

Fitness. KESMAS

Muthmainah, I., Ismail, A. B., & Prabowo, S. 2019. The

Correlation of Energy Intake and Macronutrients

(Protein, Carbohydrate, Fat) with Fitness (VO2Max) in

Teen Athletes at harbi Soccer School. Jurnal Kesehatan

Masyarakat Mulawarman

Papalia, D. E., Old, S. W., & Feldman, R. D. 2001.

Perkembangan Manusia (Human Development).

Salemba Humanika

Penggalih, M. H. S. T. 2019. Respons Adaptasi Biokimia

dan Fisiologi Atlet. Gadjah Mada Univesity Press

Pertiwi, A. B., & Murbawani, E. A. 2012. Pengaruh Asupan

Makan (Energi, Karbohidrat, Protein, dan Lemak)

terhadap Daya Tahan Jantung Paru (VO2maks) Atlet

Sepak Bola. Journal of Nutrition College

Rankovic, G., Mutavdzic, V., Toskic, D., Preljevic, A.,

Kocic, M., Rankovic, G. N., & Damjanovic, N. 2010.

Aerobic Capacity as an Indicator in Different Kinds of

Sports. Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences

Sepriadi, Jannah, K., & Eldawaty. 2020. The Effect of

Jogging Exercise to Improve Hemoglobin Levels.

Journal of Physics

Utoro, F. B., & Dieny, F. F. 2016. Pengaruh Penerapan

Carbohydrate Loading Modifikasi terhadap Kesegaran

Jasmani Atlet Sepak Bola. Jurnal Gizi Indonesia

Welis, W., & Rifki, M. S. 2013. Gizi untuk Aktivitas Fisik

dan Kebugaran. Sukabina Pres

ICSDH 2022 - The International Conference on Social Determinants of Health

126