Do Athletes Cook? A Systematic Scoping Review of Culinary Nutrition in Athletes

Applied sports nutrition is fundamental to athlete health, performance and training adaptation; hence, culinary skills are paramount to meet physiological demands. With the decline in domestic cooking, culinary nutrition has emerged as a priority for research and education. However, limited information exists regarding culinary research in athletes. The aim of this scoping review was to collate, map and overview the current body of literature regarding culinary nutrition in athletes while also identifying existing knowledge gaps. The PRISMA-ScR guidelines were used. Five electronic databases were searched in March 2023. Data extraction was conducted using a custom form. A critical appraisal was undertaken, data were charted in narrative and numerical format, and thematic analysis was conducted mapping relationships between studies and identifying knowledge gaps. Seven primary research studies were included, two qualitative and five quantitative study designs, with only one randomised controlled trial. Four studies were conducted in North America and four studies included athletes from multiple sports. Delivery, content and duration of interventions varied, with limited detail provided in most studies. All intervention studies included a practical culinary element. The use of validated measurement tools was limited. One study received a positive rating in the critical appraisal. Culinary nutrition research in athletes is grossly limited and warrants further investigation. Specifically, a focus on methodological issues is required to improve the quality of evidence, with the inclusion of well-designed studies, use of validated measurement tools, implementation of clear theoretical frameworks and clear intervention descriptions to assist in strengthening the culinary nutrition research field.