Unintentional Underfuelling and Protein Prioritisation: A Multi-Methods Exploration of Nutrition Practices and...

Despite increasing awareness of best sports nutrition practices, discrepancies persist between knowledge and behaviour amongst female endurance athletes.

To understand this discrepancy study investigated dietary practices, macronutrient intakes, and influ-encing factors using a multi-method approach. Seventy-two female endurance athletes (42 ± 9 y) completed four-day weighed food diaries, and a subset of twenty athletes (40 ± 10 y) then participated in semi-structured interviews. Quantitative analysis revealed that athletes met the lower end of carbohydrate (CHO) guidelines on rest days (3.0 g·kg^-1), but intake fell short on training days, with deficits increasing as training volume rose (moderate: -1.4 g·kg^-1, high: -3.5 g·kg^-1, very high: -5.5 g·kg^-1). Despite awareness of CHO's role in performance, athletes unintentionally underfuelled, leading to a cumu-lative energy deficit. Energy intake increased by 473 kcal·day^-1 per 1000 kcal·day^-1 of exercise energy expenditure. In contrast, protein intake was prioritised, with mean in-takes of 1.7 ± 0.7 g·kg^-1·day^-1 aligning with recommendations.

Qualitative findings iden-tified barriers to CHO intake, including time constraints, diet culture influences and body image concerns. Social and environmental factors, such as household environments and professional nutrition guidance, played a critical role in behaviours.

These findings highlight the need for practical, evidence-based nutrition interventions to support fe-male endurance athletes. Personalised education addressing CHO requirements, the psychology/emotions around nutrition, and the influence of social environments may bridge the gap between knowledge and practice, optimising both performance and long-term health outcomes.