Abstract            Volume:14  Issue-10  Year-2026         Original Research Articles

Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

Inappropriate eating behavior (EB) can sometimes explain athletes' under-performance. Players' perceptions of the shortcomings of their eating behavior can guide nutrition education aimed at changing them. Awareness of the risks involved in adopting inappropriate EB facilitates acceptance of the change process. The aim of this study is to assess the perception of eating behavior among young female handball players in the Benin national team, both at home and during a training camp in preparation for international competitions. This is a qualitative study conducted with 21 female handball players aged 13 to 19, via individual interviews during the first training camps (TC) of the 2019 Challenge Trophy. Two variables were studied: the perception of EB, whose dimensions related to the physiological, social, cultural and psychological determinants of EB, and the willingness of athletes to change EB. The results showed that the majority of players prefer the frequency of family meals (4 to 5 times a day) to that of the training camp (3 times a day). They felt that family meals were more balanced than training camp meals, despite the absence of one to four of the eight food groups recommended in both contexts. The players appreciated the fact that they ate with their hands in the family, unlike the use of cutlery at the training camp. For all participants, the presentation, taste and smell of family meals were judged better. In conclusion, players perceive family meals and their consumption conditions more positively than those at training camp, despite the similar shortcomings conveyed by their eating behavior in both contexts. Nevertheless, they are willing to change their eating behavior if this will lead to better sporting performance.

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