Table 1.

Data extraction: Qualitative research design

Item	2001 Smart and Bisogni [22]	2005 Robins and Hetherington [23]	2008a Long [35]	2011 Long et al [24]	2018 Stokes et al. [26]	2020 Eck and Byrd-Bredbenner [33]	2021 Juzwiak [36]
Title	Personal food systems of male college hockey players	A comparison of pre-competition eating patterns in a group of non-elite triathletes	What should I eat next? Development of a theoretical model of how college-aged football players make food choices	Personal food systems of male collegiate football players: a grounded theory investigation	Perceptions and determinants of eating for health and performance in high-level male adolescent rugby union players	Food choice decisions of collegiate division I athletes: Qualitative interviews	Understanding food choices and eating practices of Brazilian and Spanish athletes in aesthetics and weight class sports
Study design	Grounded theory approach	Grounded theory approach	Grounded theory approach	Grounded theory approach	Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews (No theory reported)	Semi-structured phone interviews (No theory reported)	Grounded theory—food choice process model
Study aim	To investigate how college athletes experienced and interpreted the multiple forces influencing their food choices	To investigate the reasons associated with the informed choices that triathletes make about their food consumption and specific eating patterns prior to competition	To understand the personal food choice process of collegiate football players	To develop a theoretical model explaining the personal food choice processes of collegiate football players	To explore perceptions and determinants of eating for health and performance in high-level male adolescent rugby union players	To improve understanding of athletes’ food-related beliefs and practices	To understand determinants of food choices and eating practices of aesthetics and weight class athletes from two countries
Population
Sample size	n = 10	n = 13	n = 15	n = 15	n = 20	n = 14	n = 33
Sex	Male 10	Male 7 Female 6	Male 15	Male 15	Male 20	Male 5 Female 9	Not specified
Age (years)	18–23 (range)	31; 24–43 (mean; range)	Not specified	Not specified	17 ± 1; 16–18 (mean ± SD; range)	Not specified	15–42 (range)
Athlete level (as described by authors)	University – 2 freshmen, 4 sophomores, 3 juniors and 1 senior. Some with national or regional ranking	Non-elite	National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. University – 4 sophomores, 9 juniors and 2 seniors	National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. University – 4 sophomores, 9 juniors and 2 seniors	Highest representative -regional (60%), school (25%), national (10%), international/ age group (5%)	NCAA Division I	All competed in national and regional events 18 /33 involved in international competitions
Sport(s)	Ice hockey	Triathletes	American football	American football	Rugby union	Mixed—Swimming, track and field rowing, gymnastics, tennis, softball, volleyball	Gymnasts and martial arts
Athlete cultural background	Canada (n = 6), United States (n = 3), Eastern Europe (n = 1)	Not specified	Caucasian (n = 10), Hispanic (n = 3), African American (n = 2)	Caucasian (n = 10), Hispanic (n = 3), African American (n = 2)	New Zealand European (35%), Samoan (35%), Tongan (20%), Maori (10%)	Not specified	Brazil (n = 16) Spain (n = 18)
Context
Country Study; author	United States; American authors	England; United Kingdom authors	United States; American authors	United States; American authors	New Zealand; New Zealand and Australian authors	United States; American authors	Brazil and Spain; Brazilian author
Competition phase	Both in- and out-of-season	Pre-competition	During training and competition season	During training and competition season	Not specified	Not specified	Not specified
Food setting/ environment	Freshmen: dormitory, university meal plan. Other participants: off-campus housing. Athletes paid for own foods, except pre-game meals that coaches /trainers arranged and ate with the team	Not specified	Athletes were responsible for their own meals usually eating with roommates or significant others Players had limited access to nutrition specialists	Athletes were responsible for their own meals usually eating with roommates or significant others Players had limited access to nutrition specialists	Not specified	Not specified	Not specified (did not include those who were provided food in live-in centres)
Concept
Methods for reporting food choice	Interviews: Semi-structured face-to-face Factors that influence food choice Changes in practices between home and college, and during the season Participant observation of daily activities and informal conversation	Focus groups: Semi-structured face-to-face The reasons for food choices prior to competition 7 themes to act as probe Themes were not explicitly specified	Interviews: Semi-structured face-to-face Food/drink preferences, traditions or superstitions related to training /games Self-talk when making food selections Changes to self-talk at home or college	Interviews: Semi-structured face-to-face Food/drink preferences, traditions or superstitions related to training or games Self-talk when making food selections Changes to self-talk at home or college	Interviews: Semi-structured face-to-face Perceptions of a healthy and unhealthy diet Perceived impact of dietary intake on health and performance Barrier and enablers to healthy eating (Q: Is there anything we haven’t talked about that affects what you eat?)	Interviews: Semi–structured via phone Q: What food do you consume everyday? Why do you consume these foods? What foods do you avoid and why? Also asked about definition of healthy eating, and supplement use	Interviews: Semi-structured face-to-face Q: How do you eat during training? How do you eat in the competition phase (both questions probed with reasons for these strategies)
Relative food environment	Current /past food environments	General food environment	General food environment	General food environment	General food environment	General food environment	General food environment
Outcome
Determinants of food choice	Before college: family/ home setting most influential Freshman year: new eating influences, peer influence Post freshman: independent food choice systems, beliefs about how eating related to hockey, less affected by peers Personal food systems: changing priorities between hockey, health and taste Health: ‘feeling good’, low body fat, good body image Taste: preferences, indulgence and conflicted with health Others: time, convenience, quality, quantity, variety, finances, peer influence Seasonal cycles:  Off season = taste  Summer = taste  Dry-land training = health  In season = hockey and health	32 themes in five categories):  Somatic (sickness, nervous, allergy, comfort) Performance (energy, pressure, physiological need)  Trust (advice, trust, nutrition knowledge, food marketing)  Preferences (past experience, preferences taste, food, individual), health, convenience  Routine (conditioning, routine, consistency, food planning, work-dominated eating pattern) Experience: Higher level athletes- maximizing performance, less evident with less experience Choices based on past experience for more experienced athletes	The most common themes were:  Healthy Food  Eat Smarter /Right  No greasy food  Time  Money value Football players—more time planning, purchasing, and preparing meals Primary concern was to eat to compete, focusing on macronutrients and healthful foods Higher volumes of food freshman year, more college years- healthier choices Social environment - little influence from peers Physical environment - minimal influence, only the availability of choices when travelling	Theoretical model identified nine factors influencing food decisions: Time was the central influence interacting with the following:  Macronutrient  Money Meal themes  Healthy food  Food related decisions  Routines  Planned hydration Key outcome of food choices was to overall maintain a comfortable playing weight and to feel healthier	Three broad themes: General  Influence of others (peers / family)—barriers or enablers dependent on situation  Taste (barrier), cost, convenience, availability of food  General/ sport-specific  Mainstream and social media—barrier or enabler  Physical appearance—healthy eating associated with feeling positive Sport-specific  Awareness of healthy eating (game days)  Timing, type, volume of food (digestion before a game)  Desire to enhance sport performance  Reduced healthy eating motivation during off-season  Team culture a motivator for healthy eating	Prominent factors:  Benefits to health and performance  Avoid “unhealthy” foods – feel lethargic and inhibited ability to perform well Other factors: Cost, preference, nutrition knowledge Little difference between in and off season. More relaxed in off season, consuming fast food or dessert. Alcohol avoided during season Eat less healthy in season -when traveling, have to eat fast foods Off season, making own food- healthier	Themes included:  “Perceptions about the athletic body”, “everyday food practices”, and “eating to win”  Male gymnasts concerned with muscles and weight control (fear of injury)  Martial arts athletes concerned with reaching fight weight  Higher level of competition = stronger weight awareness  Brazilian gymnasts had greater body dissatisfaction compared to Spaniards—internal and external pressure, especially from coaches  Body image/weight loss was constant concern  When dietary restriction is relaxed—lack of control over food with feelings of guilt  Participation in social occasions is hindered by food restrictions
Conclusion	Athletes use behavioural rules and routines to manage the multiple determinants and situational nature of food and eating Food practices of athletes may be highly variable across the year of intake	Food choices and willingness for someone else to manipulate diet varied with experience/competitiveness. Food choices less important for less experienced; more experienced may have established knowledge of what works for them	Athletes have personal rules and routines informing their food choices which are based on influences from the social and physical environment	Collegiate athletes are in a highly dynamic period of life: They weigh and negotiate food choices in a new physical, social, and cultural environment	High-level male adolescent rugby players living in New Zealand have a good understanding of what eating for health and performance means	Food choices influenced by potential benefits to health and performance, availability of foods, and suggestions from sports dietitians Sports nutritionists were trusted source of nutrition information	Idealised bodies are part of the sport’s culture- impacts on beliefs/ meanings associated with eating practices. Sports-related eating practices similar in both countries, suggesting a group identity and a “sports discipline's food culture”

^aThesis dissertation