PD025 - NUTRITIONAL HABITS OF ATHLETES DURING TRAVEL AND BEFORE COMPETITION AND THEIR IMPACT ON COMPETITIVE PERFORMANCE

PD025

NUTRITIONAL HABITS OF ATHLETES DURING TRAVEL AND BEFORE COMPETITION AND THEIR IMPACT ON COMPETITIVE PERFORMANCE

J. Polak^1,*, G. Kavaš²

¹Community Health Centre Velenje, Velenje, ²Centre for Sports Medicine, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Rationale: Nutrition is a key factor in athletic performance, but less is known about how travel affects eating habits and performance. Travel introduces challenges such as altered food availability, disrupted routines, hydration issues, and gastrointestinal disturbances, which may impair both perceived readiness and competition outcomes.

Methods: A cross-sectional study included 200 competitive athletes recruited during preventive examinations at the Centre for Sports Medicine (University Medical Centre Ljubljana) from July to September 2025. A questionnaire collected data on diet, travel factors, and competition preparation. Two outcomes were defined: an objective outcome comparing best seasonal performance with competition result (better/equal vs. worse; n=76), and a subjective outcome based on self-reported expectations (yes vs. partly/no; n=117). Associations were assessed using chi-square tests and logistic regression (OR, 95% CI).

Results: Athletes who rated their diet as good or very good were more likely to get a good objective outcome (OR 4.86; 95% CI 1.07–22.15). For subjective performance, eating a snack before the event was linked to a higher chance of reaching expected performance (OR 3.22–4.16; 95% CI 1.03–14.32). The belief that one can perform at full capacity exhibited a robust and consistent correlation with favourable subjective outcomes (OR 3.60–5.59; 95% CI 1.22–19.22). Gastrointestinal disturbances during travel were associated with lower odds of a positive subjective outcome (OR 0.30–0.35; 95% CI 0.11–0.87).

Conclusion: Nutritional preparedness during travel is associated with both objective and subjective performance outcomes. Dietary quality, pre-competition nutrition, and perceived readiness seem important, while gastrointestinal disturbances represent a negative factor. These findings highlight the need for structured nutritional strategies during travel.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared