Assessment of Nutritional Knowledge, Alcohol and Tobacco Consumption in Amateur and Elite Youth Football Players

Abstract

Introduction: Nutrition is increasingly recognized as a key component of optimal sports performance. On the other hand, insufficient and continuous food intake can compromise athletic performance and success where Nutritional Knowledge can play a leading role. Methods: One hundred and three youth athletes from 6 different clubs belonging to the District, Honor, and National Championship participated in this study. To assess Nutritional Knowledge, consumption of alcohol and tobacco the Abridged Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire was applied. Results: The percentage of Nutritional Knowledge obtained in the District Championship was 31.25%, in the Honors it was 35.56% and in the National Championship it was 35.02%. No significant differences were found between the Nutritional Knowledge of athletes. In turn, there were statistical differences in the consumption of alcohol and tobacco among the athletes of the 3 Championships, with the District division having the highest percentage of smokers (100%) and alcohol consumers (42.6%). Conclusion: It is essential to increase the Nutritional Knowledge observed in these young athletes since it can have an influential role in their food choices.