Nutritional Practices and Levels of Anxiety among Young Sportspersons in Kerala, India

Introduction: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and nutrition have a positive relationship, but no research has been conducted on this topic. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between nutritional practices and the levels of anxiety among young sportspersons in Kerala.

Methods: A total of 183 sports professionals from Kerala were randomly selected as participants in this study (94 Males, 89 Females) ranging in age from 13 to 24 years (18.37±2.13). Questions about nutritional practices were collected using the questionnaire method. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used for the collection of psychological data. Statistical analysis was done using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation), Pearson’s correlation, multiple regression analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis test.

Results: As a result of research, it has been determined that nutritional practices and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory had a slight positive correlation and were statistically significant (r(181)=.294, p= .000). The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, 14.2% (26) of the sportsperson were having low anxiety, 23% (42) were having moderate anxiety and the majority of the sportspersons were having high anxiety (62.8%) was concluded that anxiety should be given more importance and needs to be addressed.

Conclusions: In general, sportspeople should prioritize both their physical and mental health, including adhering to healthy nutrition practices and seeking support to manage anxiety. Taking such actions will increase their likelihood of performing well and achieving their goals. It is recommended that sports professionals develop a stress management strategy and are monitored for anxiety.