Optimising Nutrition and Performance: Insights from National-Level Athletes in Sri Lanka

Background: Optimal athletic performance is closely linked to proper and balanced nutrition yet limited information exists on the dietary practices of Sri Lankan national-level athletes, especially those aspiring to win international medals.
Objectives: This study evaluates nutritional behaviours, perceptions, and beliefs as well as the body composition, and energy balance of the athletes in the national athletic pool in Sri Lanka.
Materials & Methods: Conducted as two sub-studies, the first involved 40 athletes from various sports (badminton, boxing, judo, weightlifting, track and field, and para-athletics), who participated in a questionnaire survey adapted from validated questionnaire. The second sub-study included 29 athletes from power/speed, endurance, and para-athletic groups, some overlapping from the initial sample, whose dietary intake and physical activity were assessed via 24-hour recall during training.
Results: Survey results indicated that "performance enhancement" (85%) was the primary driver of food choice, followed by considerations of "food quality/price" (70%), "weight gain concerns" (67%), and "brand names" (55%). Knowledge of dietary protein was limited, with 60% of athletes believing higher protein is essential for muscle development across sports, while only 40% were aware of "peri-workout" dietary supplementation. Coaches (75%), medical doctors (60%), and nutritionists (50%) were the main sources of nutritional advice. Supplement use was high, with 93% of athletes reporting intake of vitamins (83%), minerals (70%), branched-chain amino acids (68%), whey protein (60%), fish oil (55%), and creatine (53%). The dietary assessment adequate macronutrient intake among most athletes, but 59% experienced a negative energy balance. Body composition analysis revealed that approximately one-third (9/27) of the tested athletes exhibited lower-than-recommended body fat levels, while almost all athletes (26/27) displayed "normal" or "high" levels of muscle mass relative to their respective sports.
Conclusion: These findings underscore the need to enhance athlete awareness on protein requirements and peri-workout supplementation, with targeted nutrition counseling to improve energy balance and support international competitive success.