'I've had my best years of riding' - jockey study makes big strides in nutrition

A study funded by the Racing Foundation has found that with the correct nutrition and exercise programme, jockeys can make weight safely without having to compromise on meals. 

Conducted by Dr George Wilson at Liverpool John Moores University with a five-year funding commitment from the Racing Foundation, the study will be published online in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism later this month. 

The study involved testing the body composition, resting metabolic rate, hydration status and dietary habits of 23 male professional jockeys in Britain to form a baseline, before providing them with a personalised exercise and nutritional programme. 

After annual retesting, it was found the jockeys had significantly reduced their body fat, while maintaining lean muscle mass, and significantly improved their hydration, despite increasing the frequency of meals and snacks. 

Franny Norton was one of several high-profile jockeys to take part in the study and he said: “If you’d asked me a few years ago, I’d have said that horseracing is ten years behind in nutrition and exercise science. This work at LJMU, which is funded by the Racing Foundation, has fast-tracked our understanding of these issues, meaning racing is starting to catch up with other sports.

"It's been fantastic for us jockeys, as the weighing room mentality towards making weight is changing and jockeys are starting to understand their bodies better. Since I started on the programme, I've had my best years of riding. I rode more than 100 winners in a year since following the programme."

Franny Norton: one of the jockeys to take part in the studyCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Racing Foundation was established in 2012 to oversee the distribution of funds to charitable causes within the racing and thoroughbred industry. Since its inception, it has awarded more than £37 million in grants. 

Speaking of the importance of the study, Dr Wilson said: "It demonstrates that jockeys can improve body composition and maintain these improvements over a five-year period for making race weight, and can do so in free-living conditions where appropriate educational guidance on diet and exercise has been provided.

"Moreover, these findings may also prove beneficial to the wider sporting and non-sporting populations in helping with weight management.“

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