Open Collections

Abstract

There are currently no regulated sport nutrition interventions for Canadian high school athletes (ages 13-18), despite this group exhibiting dietary patterns that may compromise health and performance. These patterns include high consumption of sport supplements and caffeine rich energy drinks, alongside insufficient energy intake relative to their needs—factors that are linked to increased risk of injury, impaired growth, and poor sleep. Research has also found that adolescent athletes’ dietary habits are often influenced more by gender norms rather than physiological demands. For example, girls report pressure to be thin regardless of sport and often have greater opportunities to learn about nutrition and food-related skills (e.g., cooking) which may influence their dietary choices in ways that diverge from athlete boys. However, there are gaps in understanding to what extent gender influences dietary habits among high school athletes compared to non-athletes, and how nutrition supports in schools should be tailored accordingly. In Phase 1 of this research, we sought to establish how gender norms motivated adolescents’ dietary habits through a systematic review of 34 studies. The findings revealed that boys often cited physical performance as a key dietary motivator, whereas girls did not. In Phase II, 33 semi-structured interviews (n=15 boys; n=14 girls; n=4 non-binary) were conducted with adolescent athletes (n=18) and non-athletes (n=15) to explore food literacy (e.g., opportunities to learn about nutrition and food-related skills) and dietary motivations. Three distinct analyses revealed significant differences in adolescent athletes’ perceptions of their dietary habits, where and what they learned about nutrition, and how they envisioned effective nutrition education. In Phase III, two advisory panels (one coach and one athlete) co-developed the foundation for a high school athlete specific intervention: A mobile app called PLAYTE. PLAYTE delivers evidence-based nutrition information and skill-building content tailored to the needs of high school athletes in a sex and gender inclusive manner. This intervention has the potential to reduce harmful dietary habits and their associated consequences in this population.