Can Cameroonian football coaches effectively manage the players’ nutrition?

Abstract

Nutrition for football players is a key factor in their performance. It is guided by coaches, who require sharp skills in this area. In Cameroon, where the performance of local football players has been on a downward trend, few studies have investigated the nutrition of players concerning the skill levels of coaches in this field. This study aimed to explore the nutrition knowledge of active coaches in the elite football league in Cameroon. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 78 active football coaches in the elite clubs in Cameroon during the 2023/2024 season. A questionnaire was used as a data collection tool regarding the nutrition knowledge of these football coaches and the dietary practices recommended by them. The results show that the internet was the primary learning tool for nutrition used by coaches in Cameroon. They were very poorly equipped regarding the nutrition of football players, particularly concerning food composition, macro and micronutrient balances, management of hydration and electrolytes, nutritional timing, as well as the use of dietary supplements. In contrast, correlations show that the knowledge of coaches in nutrition statistically increases with age ([30-40 years]) and average education level, particularly university studies. These results suggest that the nutrition knowledge of elite football coaches is insufficient for the optimal management of players. This may explain the controversial performances of local football players in Cameroon. It would be important to provide coaches with educational materials on sustainable football nutrition, as well as nutrition education sessions for football players.