Dietary intake and fatigue symptoms among football players in the Uganda premier league clubs based in Kampala district

Abstract

Football players dietary intake and body composition plays a great role in their performance. However, fatigue symptoms affect the performance of football players on match days. This research was conducted to investigate the correlation between dietary intake and fatigue symptoms among football players in the Uganda Premier League. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted involving 214 football players and eight team managers. Data on dietary intake (food frequency, timing of meals, hydration and supplements), fatigue symptoms (muscle pulls, thirst, reduced flexibility, dizziness, reduced running speed) and anthropometric measurements (height, weight, body fat percentage, BMI) were collected through self-administered questionnaires, key informant interviews and bio impedance machine respectively. The study indicated that a significant proportion of football players (80%) exhibited inadequate pre-match dietary intake primarily characterized by lack of a balanced diet and insufficient fluid consumption. Moreover, 87% of the participants reported experiencing fatigue symptoms, including muscle pulls, thirst, and reduced flexibility. Statistical analysis revealed a strong association between inadequate balanced diet and both muscle pulls (p=0.031) and reduced flexibility (p=0.041). These findings underscore the critical role of dietary intake timing, particularly balanced diet, in mitigating fatigue and optimizing performance among Ugandan football players.