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Nutrition Knowledge of Dancers: A Scoping Review
Caitie J Minger1, Matthew B Cooke1, Regina Belski1
1Sport, Performance and Nutrition Research Group, Department of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia.
Background/Objectives:
Dance is a unique and physically demanding athletic art form that necessitates optimal nutritional intake for performance and long-term health. Nutrition knowledge (NK) is an essential factor that drives dietary behaviours and attitudes of athletes and performers, including dancers. Despite its importance, there appears to be limited research investigating the NK of dancers. This scoping review therefore aims to systematically explore the currently published literature on the NK of dancers globally, to understand the current levels of nutrition knowledge and gaps in knowledge as well as related dietary behaviours and inform future research and resource development for this population.
Methods:
Four electronic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, and Web of Science) were searched in June 2026 for articles. Eligibility criteria included: Original research published in peer-reviewed journals between 2000-2025. Only English language studies reporting on the NK (general, sports, specific) of dancers were included. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) was followed.
Results:
Of the 58 studies initially identified, a total of nine studies were included. All were quantitative and either cross-sectional (n = 5) or intervention (n = 4) studies. Data was collated from six countries with a total of 942 participants, and NK was directly assessed in all of the reviewed papers. The methodological quality and bias were assessed using the "Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Criteria Checklist for Primary Research" tool. Study designs and tools used to assess NK were heterogenous. Overall, dancers demonstrated low-to-moderate NK, with gaps in knowledge surrounding macronutrient composition of foods, and exhibited restrictive dietary patterns and body image concerns. Reliance on non-expert information sources was prevalent. Interventions designed to improve NK and related dietary behaviours showed positive impacts.
Conclusions:
Dancers' NK is low-to-moderate, with suboptimal dietary behaviours, often driven by aesthetic pressures and a reliance on informal nutrition advice. Given the success of interventions to improve NK, future research should focus on targeted nutrition education strategies, focused on identified NK gaps for optimising dancers' health, performance, and long-term well-being.
