Today, on World Nutrition Day 2025, we are taking a moment to highlight the essential role that good nutrition plays, not just in everyday health, but also in optimising athletic performance and recovery.
Good nutrition is fundamental for our health, wellbeing, growth and development. Unfortunately, good nutrition is not available to everyone around the world, as malnutrition remains a global challenge. The UN recognises World Nutrition Day as an opportunity to address such gaps and challenges, and to encourage discussions on food systems and universal healthcare.
This year is particularly important, as it marks the end of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition – a project running from 2016-2025 which focuses on implementing new policies and increasing investment towards eliminating malnutrition. However, in March, the UN called for an extension of the Decade of Action on Nutrition until 2030, to keep political momentum going and to further increase national commitment.
Although the Performance Nutrition Journal does not solely publish research that tackles malnutrition, all discussions surrounding the topic of nutrition can highlight how we can improve nutrition and do our best to work towards UN’s action goal. Thus, we have asked a few questions to the journal editorial board to celebrate the day and raise awareness among our readers on why World Nutrition Day is an important occasion. Read more to learn how leading researchers in sports nutrition explore the science behind how proper nutrition can make a difference not just for elite athletes, but for anyone striving for a healthier life.
Why is World Nutrition Day important, in today’s context of modern health and fitness? By Nidia Rodriguez-Sanchez
World Nutrition Day is a valuable opportunity to reflect on the importance of nutrition in our daily lives. While interest in health, fitness and well-being continues to grow, it is still common to see confusion about what right nutrition really means. Many people are exposed to sources of information and influenced by quick fixes that include restrictive diets, routines or supplements that do not have the scientific foundations of health and performance. World Nutrition Day reminds us that nutrition is not only about eating less or burning more, but also about the need for a more balanced, evidence-based approach that supports health and wellbeing through everyday choices.
It is also important to remember that eating is not just a biological act to cover physiological requirements, food is a social experience as it brings people together during family meals, celebrations, traditions and everyday routines. However, in modern life, eating is often rushed or done alone. World Nutrition Day is a good reminder of the value of sharing food and an invitation to slow down and to connect with the people around us.
We must also consider the environmental side of nutrition. Our food choices have a direct impact on the planet. Reducing food waste, choosing local and seasonal foods and include more plant-based meals are examples of actions that can benefit both our health and the environment. A sustainable diet goes beyond supporting the individual’s health and performance, it also takes care of the environment and future food systems. It is also important to incorporate environmental responsibility to sports nutrition. It is common that athletes and active individuals often rely on animal based high-protein foods, single use packed products or imported supplements that might not be environmentally sustainable. On World Nutrition Day, we also can encourage more sustainable sports nutrition practices and create awareness amongst the athletic community and industry partners. Supporting sports performance should not come at the expense of the planet. Taking care of the environment and succeeding in sports can be achieved through planning and education.
There are some key messages that are worth highlighting on World Nutrition Day:
- Food is not only fuel: it also supports the immune system, recovery, mood and overall health.
- Everyone is different: nutritional needs change depending on age, physical activity level, health status and cultural background. In the case of athletes, there are other factors that need to be considered, such as training periodisation, body composition and performance goals, injury prevention or treatment, amongst others.
- Access and education are essential: without nutrition literacy and food security, better health and sport performance outcomes are difficult to achieve.
- It is vital to align sports performance with environmental responsibility.
In conclusion, World Nutrition Day is not just a celebration of healthy eating. It is an opportunity to think critically about and act responsibly. It is important to remember that as individuals we are all part of a larger system. Nutrition is a daily opportunity to care for ourselves, support athletic performance and to respect the world we live in.
What is important to remind people on World Nutrition Day? By Nidia Rodriguez-Sanchez
Nutrition goes far beyond counting calories or tracking macronutrients. It is about providing the body with what it needs to function well, to recover properly and to stay healthy in the long term. For active individuals, eating well is essential not only to fuel the body and perform during training and competition, but also to support immune function and muscle repair, to prevent injuries and to recover and adapt for future training sessions or competitions. But nutrition is not only relevant to athletes or in the sport context. A balanced diet is essential to prevent chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and it also contributes to cognitive function, hormonal balance and overall wellbeing.
Adequate nutrition is relevant for everyone, and it is particularly important for athletes as appropriate food and fluid intake at specific key moments around their training and competition will contribute to maintain their health and wellbeing and also to an optimal performance in their sports. Sports nutrition is a growing area of research and practice, and it demonstrates how personalised and periodised nutrition strategies can enhance athletic performance. Carbohydrate intake, for example, should be adjusted accordingly to the intensity and duration of the training sessions. Protein ingestion can contribute to muscle repair. Hydration also has a key role in sports nutrition, particularly during long or intense exercise or in specific environmental conditions as fluid and electrolyte losses can be significant.
Understanding these sport nutrition principles can help athletes to adapt better, train more effectively and reduce the risk of injury or fatigue and potentially having a positive impact in the athletes’ performance goal(s). It is also important to highlight that sports nutrition is not only for elite or competitive athletes. Recreational athletes and those who exercise regularly can also benefit from the sports nutrition science. On World Nutrition Day, it is important to highlight that adequate sports nutrition is about consistency, balance and scientific evidence. Providing advice to active individuals with research-based practical recommendations and clear guidance can support them make better choices for performance and long-term health.
What are some of the biggest mistakes athletes tend to make nutritionally? And what can everyone learn from them to improve their nutrition? By Mark Hearris
The most common mistake many athletes make is eating the same foods in the same amounts every day, regardless of how much they’re training or what type of session they’re doing. This ignores the principles of nutritional periodisation, where both energy and macronutrient intake should be adjusted in accordance with training volume, intensity, and the overarching goal of each session on a day-by-day basis. As a result, many athletes tend to under fuel on high volume or intense training days or over fuel on recovery and rest days, negatively impacting their training adaptations, recovery and body composition.
The key takeaway is that performance nutrition isn’t just about what you eat, but when and why you eat it. Each meal provides an opportunity to enhance the stimulus from training and must serve a specific purpose to help the athlete towards their performance goals. These principles can be applied to anyone looking to improve their performance by adopting the principles of “fuelling for the work required” and fuelling more when you’re physically active and scaling back slightly on lighter days.
Your research focuses on understanding how nutrition can be manipulated to enhance athletic ability and overall health. How can people apply principles from sports nutrition to other areas such as ageing and health? By Paul Morgan
My research initially focused on how nutrition can enhance athletic performance, but over time it has evolved to include clinical populations such as those with myositis and cystic fibrosis, as well as interventions that support healthy ageing. What’s fascinating is that many of the core principles from performance nutrition, such as optimising protein intake to support muscle protein synthesis, improving recovery through targeted nutrition strategies, and enhancing overall health and performance, are just as relevant in these contexts. For example, in ageing populations, maintaining, or even maximising, muscle mass and function (often referred to as combating ‘sarcopenia’) is a critical goal, much like it is in athletes. Similarly, clinical conditions that involve muscle wasting or chronic inflammation can benefit from the same nutritional strategies used to support performance and recovery in sport. My work on dietary protein, muscle metabolism, and the gut-muscle axis continues to offer insights that bridge elite performance and broader health outcomes, demonstrating how performance nutrition can inform strategies to promote resilience, function, and quality of life across the lifespan.
