Human study · Nutrition · 1 Nov 2026
In 22 elite women who play Australian rules football, in-season protein intake and fat intake were lower than in pre-season
Source: PubMed
What the research found
Barnard and colleagues report in the European Journal of Sport Science (November 2026; e70274; DOI 10.1002/ejsc.70274; PMID 42904819). PubMed indexed it on 22 October 2026. The card date is 1 November 2026, the issue month. Twenty-two elite women in Australian rules football, mean age 25.9 years (SD 5.0), were followed for 10 nights: five in pre-season and five in-season. Diet came from a phone food diary (Easy Diet Diary) and sleep from a wearable ring (Oura). In-season protein intake was 115.15 g (SD 35.14) versus 126.48 g (SD 40.10) in pre-season (p = 0.026). Fat intake was 72.93 g (SD 29.55) versus 83.43 g (SD 33.14) (p = 0.012). Sleep measures did not differ by season phase. Each extra year of age lined up with about 8 minutes less sleep (p = 0.001) and about 4 minutes earlier wake time (p = 0.032). Age did not line up with a difference in dietary intake. This is a description of what they ate and how they slept. It is not a feeding trial and not advice to cut protein intake in season. Not medical advice.
Evidence level: Human study. A study in people, but an association isn't proof of cause.
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