Determinants of Eating Patterns and Nutrient Intake Among Adolescent Athletes: a Systematic Review

Overview

Journal Nutr J

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Nutritional Sciences

Date 2017 Jul 30

PMID 28754133

Citations 28

Authors

Matias Noll

Carolina Rodrigues de Mendonca

Lorena Pereira de Souza Rosa

Erika Aparecida Silveira

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: This review aims to update the influences of sport modalities, sport performance, and non-exercise-related determinant, on eating patterns and nutrient intake outcomes among adolescent competitive athletes.

Methods: The PubMed and Scopus databases were searched for the last 20 years. Observational and intervention studies of all languages on eating patterns and nutrient intake in adolescent (10- to 19-year-old) competitive athletes were included. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed using a Downs and Black instrument. Moreover, the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) evidence system was used to assess the strength of the body of evidence.

Results: Regarding outcomes of 21 included articles, 95.2% of studies focused on nutrient analysis, whereas few of the included articles reported eating patterns. As determinants, most studies analyzed the influences of sport-related (n = 10) and demographic factors (n = 8), among which only sport modalities were significantly associated with nutrient intake. Age and sex were not significantly associated with nutrient intake. All studies were observational, and most were cross-sectional (n = 17) and conducted in developed countries such as the United States and European nations. Most studies evaluated boys, and the sport that received the most attention was soccer.

Conclusions: Athletes do not adjust their nutrient intake or food choice to the demands of the training load or different training sessions, while sport modalities significantly influenced nutrient intake. Moreover, results concerning demographic determinants were inconsistent and thus remain inconclusive.

Trial Registration: Prospero CRD42016043310 .

Citing Articles

Effects of energy drinks on mental health and academic performance of university students: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

Oliveira Batista D, C Silva K, Torres M, Pires da Costa W, Monfort-Panego M, E Silva P PLoS One. 2025; 20(3):e0319533.

PMID: 40072970 PMC: 11902126. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319533.

The Sleep, Recovery, and Nutrition Characteristics of Elite Adolescent Athletes.

Mason L, Connolly J, Devenney L, Lacey K, ODonovan J, Faulkner M Sports (Basel). 2025; 13(2).

PMID: 39997981 PMC: 11860358. DOI: 10.3390/sports13020050.

Mediating role of organized sports participation on the relationship between body fatness and arterial wall thickness among adolescents: ABCD Growth Study.

Torres W, Maillane-Vanegas S, Urban J, da Silva D, Oliveira R, Haapala E BMC Pediatr. 2025; 25(1):133.

PMID: 39994588 PMC: 11853719. DOI: 10.1186/s12887-025-05486-y.

A Strengths-Based Approach to Increasing Nutrition Knowledge in Student-Athletes: The 'Eat 2 Win' Pilot Program.

Fuller A, Bird S Nutrients. 2025; 17(2).

PMID: 39861491 PMC: 11768789. DOI: 10.3390/nu17020361.

Dietary Patterns, Serum BDNF and Fatty Acid Profiles in Physically Active Male Young Adults: A Cluster Analysis Study.

Johne M, Maculewicz E, Mastalerz A, Bialek M, Wojtak W, Osuch B Nutrients. 2025; 16(24).

PMID: 39770947 PMC: 11679842. DOI: 10.3390/nu16244326.

References

Spronk I, Heaney S, Prvan T, OConnor H . Relationship Between General Nutrition Knowledge and Dietary Quality in Elite Athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2014; 25(3):243-51. DOI: 10.1123/ijsnem.2014-0034. View

Purcell L . Sport nutrition for young athletes. Paediatr Child Health. 2014; 18(4):200-5. PMC: 3805623. DOI: 10.1093/pch/18.4.200. View

Sim J, Wright C . The kappa statistic in reliability studies: use, interpretation, and sample size requirements. Phys Ther. 2005; 85(3):257-68. View

Spencer R, Rehman L, Kirk S . Understanding gender norms, nutrition, and physical activity in adolescent girls: a scoping review. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2015; 12:6. PMC: 4310022. DOI: 10.1186/s12966-015-0166-8. View

Thivel D, Maso F, Aouiche S, Coignet B, Dore E, Duche P . Nutritional responses to acute training sessions in young elite rugby players. Appetite. 2014; 84:316-21. DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2014.10.030. View

van Kleef E, Shimizu M, Wansink B . Food compensation: do exercise ads change food intake?. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2011; 8:6. PMC: 3038872. DOI: 10.1186/1479-5868-8-6. View

Pedersen S, Gronhoj A, Thogersen J . Following family or friends. Social norms in adolescent healthy eating. Appetite. 2014; 86:54-60. DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2014.07.030. View

Croll J, Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M, Wall M, Perry C, Harnack L . Adolescents involved in weight-related and power team sports have better eating patterns and nutrient intakes than non-sport-involved adolescents. J Am Diet Assoc. 2006; 106(5):709-17. DOI: 10.1016/j.jada.2006.02.010. View

Meckel Y, Ismaeel A, Eliakim A . The effect of the Ramadan fast on physical performance and dietary habits in adolescent soccer players. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2007; 102(6):651-7. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-007-0633-2. View

10.

Leblanc J, Le Gall F, Grandjean V, Verger P . Nutritional intake of French soccer players at the clairefontaine training center. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2002; 12(3):268-80. DOI: 10.1123/ijsnem.12.3.268. View

11.

Downs S, Black N . The feasibility of creating a checklist for the assessment of the methodological quality both of randomised and non-randomised studies of health care interventions. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1998; 52(6):377-84. PMC: 1756728. DOI: 10.1136/jech.52.6.377. View

12.

Sleddens E, Kroeze W, Kohl L, Bolten L, Velema E, Kaspers P . Correlates of dietary behavior in adults: an umbrella review. Nutr Rev. 2015; 73(8):477-99. PMC: 4502713. DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuv007. View

13.

Aerenhouts D, Deriemaeker P, Hebbelinck M, Clarys P . Energy and macronutrient intake in adolescent sprint athletes: a follow-up study. J Sports Sci. 2010; 29(1):73-82. DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2010.521946. View

14.

Sleddens E, Kroeze W, Kohl L, Bolten L, Velema E, Kaspers P . Determinants of dietary behavior among youth: an umbrella review. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2015; 12:7. PMC: 4328037. DOI: 10.1186/s12966-015-0164-x. View

15.

Iglesias-Gutierrez E, Garcia-Roves P, Garcia A, Patterson A . Food preferences do not influence adolescent high-level athletes' dietary intake. Appetite. 2007; 50(2-3):536-43. DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2007.11.003. View

16.

Ziegler P, Khoo C, Kris-Etherton P, Jonnalagadda S, Sherr B, Nelson J . Nutritional status of nationally ranked junior US figure skaters. J Am Diet Assoc. 1998; 98(7):809-11. DOI: 10.1016/S0002-8223(98)00181-3. View

17.

Eime R, Young J, Harvey J, Charity M, Payne W . A systematic review of the psychological and social benefits of participation in sport for children and adolescents: informing development of a conceptual model of health through sport. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2013; 10:98. PMC: 3751802. DOI: 10.1186/1479-5868-10-98. View

18.

Tawfik S, Koofy N, Mohamed Ibraheim Moawad E . Patterns of Nutrition and Dietary Supplements Use in Young Egyptian Athletes: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Survey. PLoS One. 2016; 11(8):e0161252. PMC: 4987011. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161252. View

19.

Moher D, Shamseer L, Clarke M, Ghersi D, Liberati A, Petticrew M . Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015 statement. Syst Rev. 2015; 4:1. PMC: 4320440. DOI: 10.1186/2046-4053-4-1. View

20.

Iglesias-Gutierrez E, Garcia A, Garcia-Zapico P, Perez-Landaluce J, Patterson A, Garcia-Roves P . Is there a relationship between the playing position of soccer players and their food and macronutrient intake?. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2012; 37(2):225-32. DOI: 10.1139/h11-152. View