Factors Determining the Choice of Healthy Diet by Kazakh Athletes of Various Sports

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 40-60% of human health depends on a lifestyle in which 25-30% is devoted to a rational diet. Therefore, by meeting physiological needs in accordance with a rational diet, athletes can adapt more quickly to the applied physical load and achieve better sport results. The aim of the study was to describe and compare the factors that determine the healthy diet of athletes of various sports. The study, which aimed to assess the factors determining healthy diet, involved 157 students of physical educa- tion and sports studies from the University of Almaty. Respondents were divided into 3 groups - sports games (volleyball, football, basketball, tennis) (n=85), endurance sports (long distance running, skiing, road cycling, triathlon (n=22), and combat sports (wrestling, judo, karate, boxing) (n=50). The questionnaire by Steptoe et al. (1995) was employed to establish the opinion of the investigated subjects on the factors that determine healthy and rational dietary choices of student athletes. Our research has shown that among the factors that determine the healthy diet of athletes of various sports, the main ones are health, the character of the chosen sport, and the athlete’s body composition. Factors such as current trends, the popularity of the food consumed, and the influence of family and friends are less important. The athletes we studied noted their efforts to eat and live healthy, most of them were satisfied with their health and their body mass. A greater variety in respondents’ responses was observed when assessing the composition of food supplements, the impact of discount special offers on product selection. The responses received on adherence to the diet indicate that the athletes studied do not always observe the correct diet