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Cited by 10Nutrition, Health and Food BehaviorNutritional Studies and DietDietetics, Nutrition, and Education

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Effectiveness of a Nutrition Education Programme on Nutritional Knowledge in Young Football Players: A Pilot Study

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Abstract

Background: Adequate nutrition is fundamental to the health and performance of young athletes. However, many fail to meet nutritional recommendations. Nutrition education programmes are promising, cost-effective strategies for improving dietary habits. However, research gaps persist, coupled with notable variability amongst the intervention programmes targeting youth athletes. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional knowledge of Portuguese youth athletes and to evaluate the effectiveness of a nutrition education programme in improving football players’ understanding of a healthy diet. Methods: Participants were recruited from a local football club through public announcement. Male youth football players aged 13 to 18 years, training at least 3 times per week and competing regularly over the past six months, were eligible. The baseline assessment included anthropometric measurements, an assessment of the adherence to the Mediterranean diet using the KIDMED questionnaire, and an assessment of general and sports nutrition knowledge via a structured questionnaire. Following the intervention—comprising three face-to-face educational sessions and two digital infographics—the KIDMED and nutrition knowledge questionnaires were re-administered. Results: A sample of 38 male footballers were eligible for this study. Most participants exhibited a healthy body weight, with a corresponding adequate body composition. The mean KIDMED score indicated moderate adherence to the Mediterranean diet with no statistically significant difference between the baseline and post-intervention (6.79 ± 1.52 versus 6.97 ± 2.01, p > 0.05). There was a significant enhancement in overall nutrition knowledge, accompanied by notable improvements in the comprehension of macro- and micronutrient sources and sports nutrition principles. Conclusions: This pilot programme proved effective in enhancing young football players’ knowledge of nutrient sources and sports nutrition.

Overview

CoChat Summary

TL;DR

This pilot quasi-experimental study assessed nutritional knowledge and Mediterranean diet adherence in 38 male Portuguese youth football players and tested a nutrition education programme. It found significant improvements in overall nutrition knowledge and most PGENSK domains, but no significant change in KIDMED adherence.

Key findings

  • In 38 male footballers, mean KIDMED score was in the moderate adherence interval and did not change significantly pre- vs post-intervention (6.79 ± 1.52 versus 6.97 ± 2.01, p > 0.05); 18 participants (47.34%) increased their KIDMED score, and 12 had high adherence before the intervention.
  • PGENSK scores improved significantly overall and in macro- and micronutrient sources, sports nutrition, and global score (p < 0.001); food label was the only domain without a significant improvement. Observed power for the significant increases was greater than 95%.
  • Anthropometry: mean BMI was 20.8 ± 2.2 kg/m²; 81.58% were of normal weight; one player was overweight; there were no obese footballers. Of participants who underwent body composition assessment, 78.9% had normal body fat of 10–20%, while eight had high body fat values.

Methods

  • Community trial, quasi-experimental, during the 2024/2025 football season. Participants were recruited from a local football club through a public announcement. Eligible participants were male youth football players aged 13–18, training at least 3 times per week and competing regularly over the past six months. From 130 male youth soccer players, 44 met eligibility criteria at baseline; 38 male footballers were included.
  • Baseline assessment included anthropometric measurements, KIDMED for Mediterranean diet adherence, and an adapted PGENSK general and sports nutrition knowledge questionnaire (43 questions; maximum score 47). The abstract reports three face-to-face educational sessions and two digital infographics, while the methods/results report two in-person sessions and two infographics. KIDMED and PGENSK were re-administered after the intervention.
  • Analysis used descriptive statistics and a one-way repeated measures MANOVA on four PGENSK variables (Macro and micronutrients, Food label, Sports nutrition, Global score) across two timepoints, using SPSS version 30.0 and a 5% significance level.

Limitations

  • Stated: this is a pilot study and should be extended to include a larger sample and all age groups within adolescence. Time restrictions for the teams made several interventions challenging. Female footballers were not permitted to attend the same training sessions where assessments and interventions took place, so this pilot included only male players although YANEI is intended for young female and male athletes.
  • Stated: further studies are needed to evaluate the impact on actual dietary behaviours, and long-term follow-up should be considered.
  • Evident from the text: no control group is described, and the discrepancy between the abstract’s “three face-to-face educational sessions” and the methods/results’ “two in-person sessions” is not reconciled. The study assessed nutrition knowledge and KIDMED adherence rather than dietary intake or behaviour.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.3390/nu17152404

Cites

62 of 62 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

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Figures

Figure 1 YANEI study design and timeline. Baseline assessments, including anthropometric measurements and the administration of the KIDMED and PGENSK questionnaires, were conducted in September 2024. The first educational infographic was delivered in November 2024, followed by the first face-to-face session in January 2025. A second infographic was provided in March 2025, preceding the second session held in May 2025. Final assessments using the KIDMED and PGENSK questionnaires were conducted in June 2025.
Figure 1 YANEI study design and timeline. Baseline assessments, including anthropometric measurements and the administration of the KIDMED and PGENSK questionnaires, were conducted in September 2024. The first educational infographic was delivered in November 2024, followed by the first face-to-face session in January 2025. A second infographic was provided in March 2025, preceding the second session held in May 2025. Final assessments using the KIDMED and PGENSK questionnaires were conducted in June 2025.CC BY · PubMed Central

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Citations

Cites

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Hawk, M. (2014). Assessing Sports Nutrition Knowledge of Adolescent Athletes and Their Parents: An Intervention Approach. [Master’s Thesis, Georgia Southern University].

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Metadata

Authors
Vicente, F., Anastácio, L., Monteiro, A., Brito, J., Ramalho, R., & Pereira, P.
Affiliations
  • Escola Superior de Saúde Egas Moniz (PT)
  • NUTRIWIN, Praceta Manuel Gouveia 1, 2725-372 Algueirão-Mem Martins, Portugal
Corresponding author
Vicente, Filipa
Venue
Nutrients
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2025-07-23
Volume
17
Issue
15
Pages
2404
ISSN
2072-6643 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4412594315
Cited by
10
References
62
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 1
FWCI
5.09
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nutrients (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Repositório Comum (Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
FCT/MCTES (10.54499/UIDB/04585/2020)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Dietetics, Nutrition, and Education
Keywords
nutrition education, youth football players, sports nutrition knowledge, Mediterranean diet adherence, KIDMED questionnaire, dietary habits, adolescent boys, body composition, micronutrients, digital infographics
MeSH terms
Diet, Healthy, Adolescent, Health Education, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Male, Nutritional Status, Pilot Projects, Portugal, Surveys and Questionnaires, Soccer, Diet, Mediterranean, Athletes, Sports Nutritional Sciences, Sports Nutritional Physiological Phenomena

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