Nutritional Habits’ Review of Amateur and Professional Football Players

Abstract

The aim of our study is to investigate the dietary habits of amateur and professional football players and their differences.A hundred football players actively playing football during the 2013-2014 football season in 2nd League A Category, 2nd League B Category, 3rd League, 1st Amateur and 2nd Amateur Leagues participated in our study. A questionnaire that consists of 17 personal information and nutritional habits questions was developed based on the literature and was filled out by the players to determine their nutritional habits. There were statistically significant differences between the groups at p<0.01 level across their education level on nutrition issues, number of meals, alcohol and cigarette use, daily fluid intake, pre-game fluid intake, pre-game foods consumed, liquids and food consumed outside of three regular meals, late-time meals, regular supplementary products and last food before games. There were statistically significant differences between the groups at p<0.05 level across information resource on nutrition issues, skipped meals, fluid intake during training, late time meals, attention to expiration dates while shopping.In conclusion, consistent with previous studies in the literature it is found that amateur and professional football players don't have good nutrition information and habits. Clubs, coaches and athletes looking for success on a national and international level should consult and collaborate with a nutritionist. We believe that it will be very useful to train athletes and coaches, with seminars, courses, panels, etc. and to have an expert dietitian in sports clubs, and to emphasize the importance of this issue in written and visual media.

Effects of home confinement on physical activity, nutrition, and sleep quality during the COVID-19 outbreak in amateur and elite athletes

“…Whereas, PA had a negative association ( p < 0.05) with the perception of COVID-19 as stressful, challenging, and threatening. A few previous studies have reported a positive relationship between PA and eating behaviors, both during the pandemic period ( 1 , 60 , 61 ) and before the pandemic ( 50 , 52 , 62 ). Furthermore, in the same vein, more than sleep quality, a better PA level was associated with a less negative experience of the problems that athletes face ( 5 , 27 , 61 , 63 ).…”

“…According to previous research, elite athletes are accustomed to following a stricter diet than amateurs ( 49 , 50 ). The influence of dietary habits on the sleep quality of elite athletes can be explained by the need of this population to maintain their fitness during the pandemic period through eating behaviors familiar to those they had before.…”

“…Despite the differences observed between elite and amateur athletes, it is possible that both have adequate dietary habits ( 40 , 65 ). This result is important because some studies have reported that athletes tend to have poor eating behaviors ( 50 , 66 ), suggesting that athletes must be educated and receive support from a professional nutritionist. Nevertheless, in their study, Newbury et al ( 60 ) highlighted the good eating habits of swimmers who adjusted their diet during the pandemic and the most restrictive lockdown periods that followed, illustrating the relevance of promoting nutritional education in athletes to maintain proper physical fitness to perform well and for healthy wellbeing.…”