Influencia de los hábitos de nutrición y la composición corporal en el rendimiento físico-motor de futbolistas de 12 a 14 años

Introduction: Body composition and nutritional habits are relevant factors for growth and physical-motor performance in adolescent soccer players. Objective: To determine the influence between nutrition habits, body composition, and physical-motor performance in football players aged 12 to 14 from the German School Humboldt of Guayaquil. Method: Quantitative, correlational, non-experimental, and cross-sectional study, with a census sample of 30 soccer players. An adapted questionnaire with 16 items was used to assess nutritional habits, body composition was evaluated with five anthropometric dimensions, and physical-motor performance was assessed with the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1. Descriptive statistics, Shapiro-Wilk, and Spearman's Rho were used in Jamovi 2.7.38. Results: The mean of nutritional habits was 3.10 and the distance covered was 1117 ± 293 m. No significant associations were found between nutritional habits and performance (ρ = −0.066; p = 0.730), nor between performance and basic anthropometric characteristics, body fat, or fat-free body mass (p > 0.05). A positive association was found between the basic anthropometric variables and fat-free body mass (ρ = 0.636; p < 0.001). Discussion: The absence of significant associations with performance indicates that these variables should be interpreted considering other factors of adolescent development and football training. Conclusions: The findings guide a 12-week nutritional intervention strategy based on food education, body monitoring, and healthy habits.