Reflection on sports nutrition: Where we come from, where we are, and where we are headed

Abstract

From a historical perspective of athletes’ eating practices, the advancement of science and the provision of food in the modern Olympic Games, the author seeks to show that many challenges in practicing Sports Nutrition have their roots in how these processes were built. This essay aims to provide arguments for a reflection on the work of dietitians in the sports’ scenario considering the growth of interest in this area, as well as the hosting of major sports events in Brazil. The professional training and the skills required to work in this area, as well as the eating practices of athletes, often far from the nutritional recommendations but heavily laden with symbolism and representations, making it important for their identity within their peer group, are among the current challenges that can be emphasized. As the main prospects for the comprehensive care of athletes, the author highlights the importance of adopting an interdisciplinary approach, and of dietitians fully understanding the meaning of nutrition for athletes in order to address the gap between their food practices and the recommendations.