Under-Fueled and Overlooked: Nutrition Knowledge Gaps Among Female College Athletes

 With the start of school and many collegiate sports seasons, I think about how knowledge, or the lack of it, shapes health behaviors and performance. Especially with the students that are perceived to be the healthiest, the athletes. A recent study on Division III collegiate athletes shined a light on the crucial role sports nutrition plays, particularly for female athletes. 

Low Nutrition Knowledge and Its Impact 

The study revealed that athletes, on average, scored only about 48% on a validated sports nutrition questionnaire. If you were thinking that percentage mirrors a poor test score, it does. This is considered a “poor” level of knowledge, with no significant difference between men and women. However, for women, this knowledge gap had a deeper impact. Female athletes with a higher body fat percentage, fat mass, and body mass index (BMI) were significantly more likely to select weight loss as their body weight goal. Even when their body composition was within healthy ranges, the perception of needing to lose weight was common, at 62% to be exact.  

Underestimation of Energy Needs  

One of my most concerning findings was the severe underestimation of energy and macronutrient requirements. Female athletes perceived the energy requirement of 2000 calories and 91 g of carbohydrates versus the actual requirements of 3300 calories and 300 grams of carbohydrates daily.  This puts the average female athlete under their daily energy needs by more than 1,300 calories. For reference, that is 3 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on top of what they are already eating. The underestimated carbohydrate needs are nearly 300 grams per day, equal to about 5.5 cups of rice or 48 cups of popcorn. This type of chronic under-fueling can compromise training adaptations, delay recovery, increase risk of injury, and heighten risk for relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S).  

Unhealthy Weight Goals 

What stood out to me as a dietetic student was the disconnect between actual body composition and desired body weight goals. Over one-third of female athletes reported wanting to lose weight despite healthy body fat and BMI values being categorized as normal. It goes to show how vulnerable female athletes are to body image pressures that can eclipse performance-based fueling strategies. That type of pressure risks promoting restrictive eating behaviors and further widening the gap between perceived and actual nutritional needs.  

Barriers Unique to Female Athletes  

Another key point was the identification of barriers to proper nutrition. While lack of time was the most reported barrier overall, women were more likely to mention financial restrictions. Combined with limited knowledge, these constraints make it even more difficult for female athletes to meet the higher nutritional demands of their sport.  

Conclusion  

As a future sports dietitian, I recognize that nutrition education is not just about numbers on a chart or in an article. It is about how I will use this information to equip athletes, especially female athletes, with the tools to understand, trust, and apply fueling strategies that match the physical demands of training and competition. The game changer will be helping them translate macronutrient recommendations into real food choices, addressing body image concerns, and providing practical solutions for time and financial limitations. This study truly reinforced that effective nutrition education has the power to not only improve performance but also protect the health and well-being of female athletes during and beyond their athletic careers.  

Reference  

Jagim, A. R., Fields, J. B., Magee, M., Kerksick, C., Luedke, J., Erickson, J., & Jones, M. T. (2021). The influence of sport nutrition knowledge on body composition and perceptions of dietary requirements in collegiate athletes. Nutrients, 13(7), 2239. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13072239