| Mind and Meal: The Combined Influence of Sports Nutrition and Psychological Support on Performance Among 16-Year-Old Football Players |
| Paper ID : 1782-SPORTCONGRESS |
| Authors |
|
Cheika Zafeerah Banoo M. Jahangeer * University of Mauritius |
| Abstract |
| Adolescent athletes undergo fast physiological growth and cognitive advancement, which amplifies their susceptibility to dietary and psychological influences. Sports nutrition helps physical performance and recuperation, while psychological support improves motivation, self-confidence, and concentration. Nonetheless, their collective impact on teenage football play has garnered little empirical scrutiny. The research aims to investigate the correlation between nutritional knowledge, psychological skills, and self-reported performance in 16-year-old football players, while assessing their collective prognostic significance using a composite Performance Readiness Index (PRI). A cross-sectional analytical approach was used, including 25 teenage football players (mean age = 16.2 ± 0.4 years). Participants filled out a validated questionnaire on Google Forms that evaluated nutrition knowledge, dietary habits, hydration, psychological abilities (including motivation, confidence, focus, and resilience), sleep and recuperation, and coaching environment. Each domain was evaluated using a 1–5 Likert scale. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlations were used to ascertain relationships between domains and self-reported performance. The average scores were: dietary knowledge = 3.88 ± 0.41, psychological skills = 3.88 ± 0.45, and performance = 4.60 ± 0.33. Notable relationships were identified between dietary knowledge and performance (r = 0.46, p = 0.017) and between psychological abilities and performance (r = 0.54, p = 0.006). The Performance Readiness Index, which incorporates dietary and psychological aspects, demonstrated a substantial correlation with performance (r = 0.48, p = 0.014), explaining almost 23% of the variation in performance. Individuals with elevated ratings in both areas regularly exhibited enhanced match performance, recuperation, and perceived preparedness. Nutritional literacy and psychological readiness substantially impact athletic performance in teenage football players. Their combined integration offers a comprehensive framework for improving endurance, concentration, and recuperation, while minimising tiredness and possible injury risk. It is advisable to include sports nutrition education and psychological skills training into youth development programs. |
| Keywords |
| sports nutrition, psychological skills, adolescent football, mental readiness, Performance Readiness Index, youth athlete development |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Oral Presentation) |
