EVALUATION OF NUTRITION AND HEALTH RELATED NUTRITIOUS INTAKE KNOWLEDGE AMONG ATHLETES’ TRAINERS

Background: Individuals who have valuable knowledge on how the importance of adequate and balanced diet and this knowledge will on their behaviors which eventually considered to be more successful in sports life. The present study aims to evaluate the nutrition and nutrients imbalance related to the health knowledge among trainers’ athletes. Methods: The study sample consists of 203 voluntary trainers from the sport clubs and gyms. Modified questionnaire was used in the study and Chi-square and Pearson correlation test was used. Results: Athletes related fields were determined to have the lack of knowledge on nutrition and also nutrients deficit related to ill-health questions. It was more likely the trainers know some aspects of foods and nutrients such as role and sources of some foods, but the overall score showed 40-50% for nutritional knowledge questions. Furthermore, questions related to ill-health showed poor score (< 40%). There was no gender difference in related nutrition knowledge questions and also questions for nutrient and ill-health. However, significant differences were found between education levels in which positive correlation R= 0.2 (P<0.05) between question for nutrition knowledge, nutrient related to health outcomes and high levels of education. Conclusion: The athlete’s trainers have regular nutrition knowledge and poor health related nutrients disorders knowledge. While gender differences did not influence neither nutrition knowledge nor health related nutrients deficient questions, the education levels found to have significant impact on both nutrition knowledge and health related nutrients deficient. Furthermore, dietitians with an expertise in athletes’ nutrition are qualified professionals who should be the primary source for obtaining diet information and subsequently monitoring. Article visualizations: