Association of Sports Nutrition Knowledge (SNK), information sources, and sport-specific nutrition strategies with the body composition of collegiate football athletes in selected state universities

Sports nutrition knowledge (SNK) enables athletes to implement evidence-based sport-specific nutrition strategies (SSNS) that support performance in training and competition, recovery, and long-term health, yet reliance on unverified sources and a lack of professional guidance foster misconceptions that compromise dietary practices and body composition. This descriptive-correlational study assessed SNK, information sources, and SSNS in relation to body composition among sixty-one (61) football athletes from UPLB and CVSU, using validated SNK and SSNS instruments, a Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis device classified against American Council on Exercise and OMRON reference standards, and a hand dynamometer benchmarked against age- and sex-specific norms. Associations were assessed using Spearman rank correlation and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Most athletes (84%) relied on non-professional information sources, primarily the internet. The median SNK score was 72%, with 49.18% demonstrating excellent knowledge, 13.11% average, and 37.70% poor, indicating wide variability. Mean SSNS score was 2.95, indicating sometimes practiced, reflecting inconsistent adherence. Athletes did not achieve athletic-fitness levels for total body fat, whereas visceral fat remained normal. Subcutaneous fat was highest in the arms, skeletal muscle was greatest in the legs, and males had greater lean body mass than females; however, 60.66% exhibited weak handgrip strength. Association tests revealed a very weak, non-significant association between SNK and SSNS, and between either variable and body composition, with no significant differences across information sources. These findings conclude that excellent SNK does not consistently translate into practice, and inconsistent adherence to SNSS may compromise physiological outcomes and performance, underscoring the need for structured sports nutrition education delivered by nutrition-credentialed professionals in collegiate athletics. Future research suggests studies to explore mediating factors such as dietary intake, attitude, motivation, and training timing

Zetric is a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition student at the University of the Philippines Los Baños whose passion for sports and nutrition shapes his academic journey. As a student-athlete, he is particularly interested in sports nutrition and its role in optimizing athletic performance, recovery, and overall well-being while promoting nutrition for all.