FOOD SECURITY AMONG YOUNG BENINESE FEMALE HANDBALL PLAYERS : CONTRIBUTION OF A NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM

Food security, defined as regular access to sufficient, varied, and nutritious food, is essential for health and athletic performance. Among young Beninese handball players, a lack of nutritional education can lead to limited dietary diversity and insufficient intake, signs of food insecurity that may contribute to the poor performance observed before 2019 at the continental level. Targeted nutritional education therefore appears necessary to improve their food consumption. Objective. This study aims to evaluate the effect of a nutritional education program on the food security of young Beninese handball players during their preparation for the 2019 Challenge Trophy. Methods. Direct observation of the three daily meals was conducted over the five days of preparation at each of the two training camps for the 2019 Challenge Trophy, with 36 young handball players. The Food Consumption Score (FCS), a food security indicator, was calculated before and after the nutritional education. The eight food groups defined by the French Agency for Food Safety (ANSES) served as a reference for assessing dietary diversity and safety. Results: The mean age of the participants was 17.0 1.6 years. Before the nutrition education program (PEN), the Dietary Consumption Score (DCS) was 36, indicating a borderline level of food consumption and predisposing the players to a potential risk of food insecurity.