Vegetarian-based dietary patterns have been associated with protection against many chronic diseases. These benefits have been attributed to the high intakes of food components such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes and absence of animal foods as part of a vegetarian diet, with some researchers suggesting there may be anti-inflammatory effects of following a vegetarian-based diet. Interestingly, there are growing numbers of individuals adopting a diet of this nature, with athletes being overrepresented in the consumption of vegetarian-based diets. Despite the increase in vegetarian-based diet popularity, there is a lack of research describing the motives, dietary behaviours, supplementation patterns, nutrient intakes and diet quality of individuals following a vegetarian-based diet, particularly for athletes. If differences in nutritional composition between athletes following omnivorous and vegetarian-based dietary patterns exist, there may also be various differences in