A study on the nutritional intake status and nutrition awareness of Korean national athletes with disabilities

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to provide basic data for nutritional strategies to enhance athletic performance in athletes with disabilities by analyzing their nutritional intake, sport-specific comparisons, and awareness of nutrition. METHODS: A total of 26 athletes (17 males, 9 females; average age = 40.67 years) participated in the study. All foods consumed over three days were recorded using the CANPRO program (version 6.0). Demographic characteristics, nutritional awareness, and perceived importance of nutrition were assessed through a Google Form questionnaire. Data were analyzed with SPSS (version 23.0) to compute means and standard deviations, with statistical significance set at p < .05. Participants included athletes from the following sports: badminton (n = 6), shooting (n = 1), swimming (n = 2), powerlifting (n = 6), judo (n = 1), athletics (n = 1), table tennis (n = 7), and wheelchair rugby (n = 2). RESULTS: The average daily energy intake was 2,096.03 kcal for male athletes and 1,680.57 kcal for female athletes, with no significant sex-based differences in caloric or nutrient intake. Among sports, wheelchair rugby players (n = 2) showed the highest average intake (2,524.49 kcal), followed by powerlifters (n = 6) at 2,323.9 kcal, and badminton players (n = 6) at 1,926.09 kcal, indicating that strength- or power-focused sports require higher energy consumption. All participants agreed that nutrition is closely linked to athletic performance, and about 73% believed it directly affects performance. Additionally, 88% recognized the need for professional nutritional education. CONCLUSION: The results of the study can serve as foundational data to establish future nutritional strategies for athletes with disabilities.