The Impact of Sports Nutrition Knowledge on Eating Habits in Young Athletes

Abstract

Disordered eating among athletes continues to grow due to the increased pressure they face in maintaining an attractive, lean physique for enhanced performance. The problems as found within the research are deeply rooted in the psychological and cultural elements which influence their intention to join sports professionally. The article has explored the prevalence of different eating disorders while simultaneously highlighting the connection it shares with aesthetic and non-aesthetic sports. The findings showcase that while disordered eating is observed more frequently in aesthetic sports, non-aesthetic sport athletes have also started showing signs of disorders in recent times. The research highlights the need for nutritional education as a preventative tool against these problems and for fostering healthy dietary habits among the athletes. The research provides a need for developing interventions that are tailored to the needs of the athlete for maintaining a balanced diet and staying away from misinformation to reduce the risk of developing eating disorders.