Nutritional knowledge and dietary intakes of young professional football players

To determine how nutritional knowledge and residential status influences the diets of a group of young professional football players and compare them to controls of the same age.

Seven day dietary records and nutritional knowledge questionnaires were analyzed and anthropometric measurements were taken mid‐way through the competitive season.

The football players, with a mean body mass index of 23.6 ± 1.2 kg m² and body fat of 15.3 ± 3 per cent were significantly lighter than the controls. They also consumed significantly fewer calories than the controls (10.26 + 1.8 v. 13.89 + 0.7 MJ per day), and less than the recommended amounts for soccer players. Both groups could benefit from increasing their carbohydrate intakes, although fat and protein intakes were appropriate. Nutritional knowledge had little impact on dietary intakes. However, players who resided in the soccer club hostels had significantly greater energy intakes, consumed more carbohydrate and less fat (p < 0.05) than players who lived in their parental home.

It was identified that youth players require assistance in the implementation of their knowledge of nutrition to their own diets. In particular they need to increase their nutritional intakes inline with recommendations, in order to optimize their playing ability and provide the energy they need for growth. This is particularly true for those who live away from the scrutiny of the football club.