ArticleNutrients2026
Fast-Food Consumption Frequency, Food-Choice Motivations, and Mediterranean Diet Adherence in Young Football Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Article in Nutrients, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundDietary behaviours in young athletes are shaped by multiple behavioural, social, and environmental influences, which may contribute to the coexistence of healthy and unhealthy eating patterns. This study aimed to explore factors associated with fast-food consumption frequency and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) among young football athletes.
methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 94 male football players aged 10-16 years from a Portuguese football club. Adherence to the MD was assessed using the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for Children and Adolescents (KIDMED) index. Fast-food consumption patterns and food-choice motivations were evaluated through a structured questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were obtained using standardised procedures. Correlation, linear regression, and ordinal regression analyses were performed.
resultsMost participants demonstrated high adherence to the MD (96.8%), with a median KIDMED score of 12.0 (IQR: 10.0-13.0). Although 88.3% of participants reported consuming fast food, intake frequency was generally low, with 67.0% reporting consumption never or only once per month. Higher fast-food consumption frequency was associated with lower fruit and vegetable intake and higher consumption of sweets and pastries. No significant associations were observed between fast-food consumption frequency and overall MD adherence, Body Mass Index z-score, or fat mass percentage. Higher health-related motivation scores were associated with lower odds of more frequent fast-food consumption (OR = 0.248;
conclusionsYoung football athletes showed high adherence to the Mediterranean diet despite the presence of fast-food consumption, suggesting that healthy and unhealthy dietary behaviours may coexist within the same population. Behavioural factors, particularly health motivations and food-choice autonomy, appear to influence fast-food consumption independently of overall diet quality and anthropometric status.
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