Micronutrient intake and predictors of adequacy in female collegiate dancers consuming low-energy diets.

backgroundCollegiate dancers face high training loads, aesthetic pressures, and limited access to nutritional resources, elevating their risk for low energy intake and micronutrient insufficiency. Although inadequate micronutrient intake has been documented, prior studies are largely limited to single sites, ballet-focused programs, or short assessment periods, making findings difficult to generalize and leaving long-term habitual intake across diverse collegiate dance styles poorly understood. Given the elevated risk for low energy intake and nutrient inadequacy in this population, further investigation is warranted. This study aimed to evaluate habitual micronutrient intake in female collegiate dancers relative to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) and sports nutrition guidelines, and to identify dietary predictors of micronutrient adequacy.

methodsThirty female collegiate dancers from three U.S. university dance programs (mean age = 20.4 years; BMI = 21.1 kg/m²) completed the Diet History Questionnaire III. Total energy and micronutrient intake from food and supplements were quantified for calcium, iron, folate, omega‑3 fatty acids, and vitamins B12, C, and D. Adequacy relative to the RDA/Adequate Intake (AI) was determined for each nutrient. Fisher's exact tests compared adequacy between supplement users and non‑users. Logistic regression models evaluated predictors of meeting the RDA/AI, including total energy intake (per 100 kcal), supplement use, and relevant food‑group intake.

resultsMost dancers consumed below the RDA/AI for calcium (20/30; 67%), iron (24/30; 80%), vitamin D (20/29; 69%), omega‑3 fatty acids (19/30; 63%), and folate (17/29; 59%). Conversely, a majority met the RDA for vitamin B12 (17/26; 65%) and vitamin C (20/30; 67%). When compared with sports nutrition recommendations, an even greater proportion fell short for calcium (29/30), omega‑3 fatty acids (30/30), vitamin D (22/29), and vitamin C (14/30). Supplement use was significantly associated with meeting the RDA for iron (75% vs. 11.5%;

conclusionsInadequate micronutrient intake was highly prevalent among collegiate dancers, particularly for calcium, iron, vitamin D, omega‑3 fatty acids, and folate. Supplement use improved adequacy for several nutrients, yet observed intake distributions suggest supplementation often compensates for, but not necessarily corrects, underlying dietary shortfalls. Total energy intake emerged as a consistent predictor of adequacy across multiple nutrients, underscoring the central role of sufficient energy intake in supporting micronutrient exposure. Even dancers meeting the RDA frequently fell below athlete‑specific recommendations, highlighting the need for targeted strategies that address both energy intake and micronutrient support within collegiate dance programs.