“It's not like they're selling drugs over the counter” A qualitative exploration of risks, regulations and packaging attribute perceptions of sports foods in non-athletes

Sports foods are increasingly being consumed by non-athletes in Australia, despite their intended purpose to supplement additional nutrient intake for athletes. Evidence suggests that these are perceived as regular foods and are being used by non-athletes for purposes contrary to which they were designed, posing health risks. Consumers are also relying on digital media sources for the recommendation of products and using misleading packaging information to select products, although their reasons are unclear. This study aimed to explore non-athlete consumers’ perceptions of the risks, regulations and suggestions for improvement and, how warnings and packaging attributes guide non-athlete sports food choices in Australia. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with 15 non-athlete Australian adult sports food consumers were conducted. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to code responses using NVivo software. Participants had conflicting views on the risks associated with sports food consumption perceiving them to be high risk to others but of limited risk to themselves. Consumers trusted the Nutrition Information Panel and claims more than other attributes, and these were seen as more credible. Digital media was the key source of recommendation for sports food selection. Participants mentioned that warnings were generic, believed they were not applicable to them and that government regulations lacked credibility. Participants also suggested improvements for warning labels and regulatory measures. Consumption of sports foods by non-athletes is influenced by attitudes towards personal risks, the persuasive influence of digital media, and perceptions of the warnings and regulations as inadequate. Findings highlight the need for stricter packaging and regulations that ensure marketing controls and provide safer sports food products to mitigate some of the risks that non-athletes face when selecting these products.