Evaluation of carbon and water footprints associated with athletes' diets

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the carbon and water footprints associated with athletes' diets and investigate the influence of changing nutritional needs in different sports disciplines. Method: A total of 120 athletes, comprising 30 individuals from each of the skill-based sports, power sports, mixed sports, and endurance sports categories, participated in the study. Dietary records were collected from the participants, and carbon and water footprints associated with athletes' diets were evaluated using factors from the literature. Additionally, athletes' knowledge levels on sustainable nutrition and their sustainable food consumption behaviors were determined. Results: The knowledge scores for sustainable nutrition and sustainable food consumption behaviors of athletes were 72.36±8.78 and 3.40±0.92, respectively. There were no significant differences in survey and scale scores among sports groups (p>0.05). On training days, the carbon and water footprint values were 4.24±2.51 CO2 eq/kg and 3.94±1.79 m3/ton, respectively, while on rest days, they were 2.43±1.42 CO2 eq/kg and 2.44±1.19 m3/ton. Power athletes and endurance athletes had higher carbon and water footprint values on training days compared to skill-based sports athletes. Furthermore, on training days, mixed sports athletes had lower carbon and water footprint values compared to power sports and endurance sports athletes. On rest days, skill-based sports athletes had lower carbon footprint values than endurance athletes and power athletes. The water footprint values on rest days did not show a statistically significant difference among sports groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: On training days, athletes' carbon and water footprints were 4.24±2.51 CO2 eq/kg, 3.94±1.79 m3/ton, and on rest days, they were 2.43±1.42 CO2 eq/kg, 2.44±1.19 m3/ton, respectively. Power and endurance athletes had higher carbon and water footprint values on training and rest days compared to athletes in other sports disciplines. There was no statistically significant difference in water footprint values on rest days among sports groups. Keywords: sustainability; greenhouse gas emissions; water footprint; athlete