Dietary Intakes of Professional and Semi-Professional Team Sport Athletes Do Not Meet Sport Nutrition Recommendations—A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Background: to develop sport-specific and effective dietary advice, it is important to understand the dietary intakes of team sport athletes. This systematic literature review aims to (1) assess the dietary intakes of professional and semi-professional team sport athletes and (2) to identify priority areas for dietetic intervention. Methods: an extensive search of MEDLINE, Sports DISCUS, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus databases in April–May 2018 was conducted and identified 646 studies. Included studies recruited team sport, competitive (i.e., professional or semi-professional) athletes over the age of 18 years. An assessment of dietary intake in studies was required and due to the variability of data (i.e., nutrient and food group data) a meta-analysis was not undertaken. Two independent authors extracted data using a standardised process. Results: 21 (n = 511) studies that assessed dietary intake of team sport athletes met the inclusion criteria. Most reported that professional and semi-professional athletes’ dietary intakes met or exceeded recommendations during training and competition for protein and/or fat, but not energy and carbohydrate. Limitations in articles include small sample sizes, heterogeneity of data and existence of underreporting. Conclusions: this review highlights the need for sport-specific dietary recommendations that focus on energy and carbohydrate intake. Further exploration of factors influencing athletes’ dietary intakes including why athletes’ dietary intakes do not meet energy and/or carbohydrate recommendations is required.

Nutritional intake of Slovenian semi-professional handball players

“…The daily energy intake for team sports athletes has recently been found structurally too low (Jenner et al, 2019). In the present study, an energy deficient of about 800 to 1100 kcal per day in males, and even 1500 kcal in females, has been found during the current microcycle.…”

“…While these studies do not mention the amount of players that meet the recommendations, it seems plausible that specific nutritional training and education, especially with the involvement of an expert sports dietitian, would yield higher percentages of players fulfilling the recommendations. Just like the recent systematic literature review by Jenner et al, (2019), we emphasize the need to prepare and include, sport-specific and player-position nutritional recommendations/education, to enhance performance.…”

“…On the other hand, athletes might adhere to diets that do not always meet their energy and nutrient requirements (Spronk, Heaney, Prvan, & O'Connor, 2015). A recent systematic literature review, showed that especially team sport athletes do not meet the dietary recommendations (Jenner, Buckley, Belski, Devlin, & Forsyth, 2019). This review emphasizes the need for sport-specific dietary recommendations for both professional and semi-professional players.…”

“…This review emphasizes the need for sport-specific dietary recommendations for both professional and semi-professional players. Further, it was observed that the recommendations were fulfilled or exceeded for protein and or fat intake, but that the recommendations for both energy and carbohydrates, generally, were not met (Jenner et al, 2019).…”

Food Choice Decisions of Collegiate Division I Athletes: Qualitative Interviews

“…3 It is not uncommon for athletes to not meet dietary recommendations. [4][5][6] In some cases, athletes fail to meet the recommendations because the energy demands of practice and competition are so great that consuming enough food is di cult. In other cases, particularly in sports where leanness is desirable, athletes may intentionally under eat to reduce weight.…”