Which of the following are most likely to require iron supplementation? (A) 100 metre runners and adolescent males (B) Marathon runners and vegetarians (C) High jumpers and vegetarians (D) Long jumpers and triathletes - HSC - SSCE Personal Development and Physical Education - Question 14 - 2009 - Paper 1

Marathon runners are engaged in endurance training, which can lead to increased iron depletion due to greater red blood cell turnover and losses through sweat. Vegetarians may also be at risk due to the lack of heme iron found in animal products, making it more difficult to meet iron requirements through diet alone. Therefore, it is most likely that ‘Marathon runners and vegetarians’ would require iron supplementation.