Nutritional Knowledge

An abundance of scientific evidence supports the notion proper nutrition practices are critical to an athlete’s health. Despite this evidence, research indicates athletes typically don’t follow health-promoting practices (Logue et al., 2018).

One barrier may potentially be a lack of knowledge particularly as it relates to the unique demands of their sports and their active lifestyles. There has been much study on the nutritional knowledge of athletes with the results varying considerably, hence a lack of consensus on the best approach to address the issue. Lack of nutritional guidance for athletes may have grave consequences if there isn’t adequate support or resources available. As reported in a study assessing nutrition knowledge of division I college athletes, the authors found low knowledge levels potentially putting them at risk for suboptimal performance and at increased risk of injury (Werner, Guadagni & Pivarnik, 2020).  

 As coaches and athletes, if there are gaps in nutrition knowledge, don’t be afraid to ask for direction. Every ‘bite’ helps!