Relationship between food consumption, supplementation and injuries in flag football athletes in Brazil
Abstract
Introduction: Flag football, a non-contact sport, has grown significantly in Brazil, highlighting the need to understand factors related to athletes’ health, especially musculoskeletal injuries. Nutrition and supplementation play a fundamental role in the prevention and recovery of injuries. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the relationship between dietary intake, supplementation, and injuries among amateur flag football athletes in Brazil. Materials and methods: This is a cross-sectional, quantitative study conducted with 94 flag football athletes, of both sexes, aged between 18 and 60 years, affiliated with the Brazilian Confederation of Flag Football. Data collection was carried out through an electronic questionnaire including information about dietary intake, supplement use, injury history, and training routine. Results: Most athletes reported not following nutritional guidance (78.5%), practicing strength training (65.6%), and having suffered injuries (68.8%), mainly ligament (30.1%) and bone injuries (28.0%). A significant association was found between injuries and creatine use (p=0.012), multivitamin use (p=0.036), and the absence of red meat consumption (p=0.016). Conclusion: A significant association was found between the occurrence of injuries and creatine use, multivitamin use, and the absence of red meat consumption. This suggests that inadequate dietary intake compromises the consumption of essential nutrients for tissue recovery, immune function, and structural integrity, reinforcing the importance of qualified nutritional guidance as a strategy to support health and safe sports practice.
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