Evaluation of general and sports nutritional knowledge of recreational athletes

Abstract

Background: Nutritional knowledge is one of the factors that can lead to adopting healthy eating habits and, consequently, favoring sports performance. Aim: The study aimed to assess the nutritional knowledge and its subsections general and sports nutritional knowledge of recreational athletes. Methods: A validated, translated, and adapted 35-item questionnaire was used to assess total (TNK), general—GNK (11 questions), and sports—SNK (24 questions) nutritional knowledge. The Abridged Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire (ANSKQ) was provided online using Google Forms. Four hundred and nine recreational athletes (male: 173, female: 236, age  =  32.4  ±  9.6 years) completed the questionnaire. Results: The mean TNK (50.7%) and GNK (62.7%) scores were classified as “average” and higher than SNK (45.2%), which was classified as “poor.” Male participants had SNK and TNK scores higher than females, but not for GNK. The youngest participants (18–24 years) had TNK, SNK, and GNK scores higher than other age groups ( p < 0.05). Participants who reported previous nutritional appointments with a nutritionist had higher TNK, SNK, and GNK scores than those without it ( p < 0.05). Those with “advanced” formal nutrition education (university students, graduate, or postgraduate in Nutrition) scored higher than those of groups “none” and “intermediate,” for TNK (advanced  =  69.9%, intermediate  =  52.9%, and none  =  45.0%, p < 0.0001), GNK (advanced  =  74.7%, intermediate  =  63.8%, and none  =  59.2%, p < 0.0001), and SNK, (advanced  =  67.5%, intermediate  =  48.0%, and none  =  38.5%, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Results suggest a lack of nutritional knowledge in recreational athletes, mainly those without an appointment with a registered nutritionist and formal nutritional education.