Mind, Body, and Performance: The Interplay of Nutrition and Psychological Well-Being in Badminton Athletes

This research paper investigates the intersection of nutrition and psychological well-being among badminton players, examining their impacts on achievement motivation and performance. The study recognizes the critical role nutrition plays not only in physical performance but also in mental health, influencing factors such as mood and motivation. Prior research indicates that athletes with high-quality diets experience better mental health outcomes, which can enhance both their performance and motivation. The objectives of this study are twofold: first, to assess the impact of nutritional quality on psychological well-being; and second, to explore the relationship between psychological well-being and achievement motivation. The study employs a quantitative cross-sectional research design involving 150 badminton players (75 males and 75 females) aged 18-35, who completed the Dietary Quality Questionnaire (DQ) and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS). Participants were required to actively compete in badminton and provide informed consent. Those with eating disorders, severe psychological issues, or other medical conditions affecting mental health or dietary habits were excluded from the study. Data analysis utilized various statistical techniques, including descriptive statistics, ANOVA, post hoc analysis with Tukey’s HSD, and Pearson correlation coefficients, to explore the relationships among nutritional quality, psychological well-being, and achievement motivation. Findings reveal a clear trend: athletes with higher nutritional quality reported significantly better psychological well-being, with ANOVA confirming substantial differences in WEMWBS scores across varying nutritional quality levels (F(2, 147) = 42.75, p