Nutrition for Sport
and Exercise

The pattern of consumption and food selection may be influenced by ath-
letes’ food preference (choosing one food over another) (Jonnalagadda

et al, 2004). Athletes may lack the practical food skills or motivation in
preparing appropriate meals. The following factors may have an effect on
athletes’ food preference and affect whether they achieve an adequate
sports diet and best food practice:
Limited food and nutrition knowledge
An inability to cook
Lack of cooking facilities
Limited access to food or healthy recipes
Recipes with unknown ingredients or that seem long and complicated
Poor food selection
Overuse of highly processed foods (i.e. processed cheese, luncheon
meats, sausage and/ or bangers, which are high in fat, salt and have
a high calorie, low nutrient value).
Overuse of take-out foods
Lack of motivation to prepare fresh food
Inability to recognise nutrient quality of meals
Inability to convert scientific nutrition principles into real food choices
Limited time to prepare food to fuel and sustain their performance, such
as in the case of athletes who have a heavy training load with little time
between exercise sessions, or who have a busy lifestyle involving other
responsibilities and commitments.