Nutritional Status And Aerobic Endurance Performance In School-Aged Football Players: A Prisma-Based Review

M. Rachmat Kasmad (Universitas Negeri Makassar)

Journal Of Sport Education, Coaching, And Health
Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026): March

Background: Nutritional status is one of the fundamental factors influencing physical fitness and sports performance, particularly aerobic endurance, among school-age football players. Adequate nutrition supports growth, energy metabolism, oxygen transport, and physiological adaptations required for sustained athletic performance. However, evidence regarding the relationship between nutritional status and aerobic endurance in youth football athletes remains fragmented across different populations and research contexts. Objective: This study aimed to systematically review and synthesize scientific evidence concerning the relationship between nutritional status and aerobic endurance performance among school-age football players using a PRISMA-based review approach. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Relevant articles published between 2015 and 2025 were identified through Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, SINTA, and Garuda databases. The review included studies involving football players aged 6–18 years that examined nutritional status indicators and aerobic endurance outcomes. Twenty eligible studies involving 4,125 participants met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final synthesis. Results: The findings revealed that 68.4% of players had normal nutritional status, while 11.8% were underweight, 14.7% overweight, and 5.1% obese. The mean aerobic endurance performance across studies showed a VO?max value of 49.3 ± 4.8 ml·kg?¹·min?¹. Sixteen of the twenty studies (80%) reported a significant positive relationship between optimal nutritional status and aerobic endurance performance. Players with normal body mass index, lower body fat percentage, and higher lean body mass consistently demonstrated superior VO?max values, better running economy, and enhanced recovery capacity. Conclusion: Nutritional status plays a crucial role in determining aerobic endurance performance among school-age football players. Maintaining optimal nutritional status through appropriate dietary management and regular monitoring may enhance aerobic fitness, support long-term athlete development, and improve football performance.