Background: Adolescent athletes in endurance and combat sports often face unique nutritional challenges that can affect their growth, performance, and recovery. While School Meal Programs (SMPs) aim to meet students' dietary needs, their effectiveness for this subpopulation is not well understood-particularly in underserved communities.
Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to (1) observe dietary intake and eating behaviors of adolescent combat sports athletes; (2) evaluate the influence of SMP participation on nutritional outcomes; and (3) assess the impact of a 6-week nutrition education and cooking course on eating habits, meal preparation, and program engagement.
Materials and Methods: This observational study included 25 adolescent athletes from USA Boxing-affiliated clubs in Denver, Colorado. Participants completed pre- and post-intervention surveys and interviews, with the intervention being a 6-week applied nutrition education course focused on cooking skills and practical dietary strategies. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (v.27) to assess behavioral changes.
Results: Before the intervention, 67% of participants were active in USA Boxing programs, and 44% (n = 11) reported participating in SMPs. Post-intervention, 88% of participants reported a positive impact from the course, including increased frequency of cooking at home and improvements in meal quality. The proportion of SMP users remained unchanged at 44%, suggesting persistent barriers to access or utilization. A statistically significant increase in home meal preparation was observed post-intervention (P = 0.030). Additionally, qualitative feedback indicated greater awareness of nutrition's role in performance and a higher reported sense of confidence in preparing meals independently.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that a short-term, targeted nutrition education intervention can lead to meaningful improvements in dietary behavior and self-sufficiency among adolescent combat sports athletes. However, the lack of change in SMP utilization highlights potential systemic limitations that require further policy and programmatic attention. Integrating nutrition literacy into youth sports development may serve as a scalable strategy to support athletic performance, healthy growth, and long-term behavior change.
Journal of Sports Science and Nutrition
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