Diet quality and sports performance in Peruvian futsal team players with Down syndrome.

Abstract

Introduction: Athletes with Down syndrome have a tendency to be overweight, affecting their sports performance, however, a quality diet will have a positive impact.

Objective: To determine the connections that exist between the quality of the diet and sports performance in players of the Peruvian Futsal team with Down Syndrome.

Materials and Methods: The research is of a non-experimental, cross-sectional (correlational) design. Players from the Peruvian futsal team with Down syndrome participated in the research, the sample was census-type, made up of 17 players; the quality of the diet was evaluated through the dietary intake instrument called 24-hour recall; sports performance was reduced through the Cooper test, for the statistical analysis Spearman's Rho was produced.

Results: When evaluating the quality of the diet, 52.9% were found to be at risk; 41.2% unhealthy and 5.9% healthy. 76% of the soccer players presented a good sports performance, 24% regular. Diet quality is related to sports performance (Rho = 0.554) and (p<0.001)

Conclusion: There is a direct connection between the quality of the diet with sports performance. Soccer players with Down syndrome with a healthy quality diet intake had a higher sports performance.