Dietary practices of ballet, jazz, and modern dancers

Ballet dancers have been shown to have nutrition problems and poor dietary practices. We asked dance instructors and dance directors to distribute a questionnaire to dancers involved in three dance types. Of the 106 dancers who completed the questionnaire, 71% participated in ballet, 60% in jazz, and 74% in modern dance; 31% participated in all three types of dance. The body mass index was similar for all types of dancers. More than half (60%) of the dancers used vitamin and mineral supplements, and 18% of the females reported irregular menstruation. Wide ranges existed in intake of foods from each of four food groups, caffeine, and alcohol. Printed media (magazines and books) were the primary sources of nutrition information. Dietitians may encounter many types of dancers and should be aware that dancers involved in ballet and other types of dance may have dietary practices that could improve with nutrition education and counseling.