Nutrition knowledge levels and nutritional supplement beliefs of professional karate athletes

Abstract

Aim
 The fact that sportspeople gain adequate, balanced and correct dietary habits improve their athletic performance and helps them prevent injuries by contributing to more appropriate body composition. Adequate and balanced nutrition is only possible if the sportsperson has sufficient nutrition knowledge. 
 Material and Methods
 Professional karate athletes (1st Dan and above) attending various karate schools in the province of Ankara, Turkey, and volunteering to participate in the study were included in the study. A total of 106 sportspeople, 52 male and 54 female, with an age average of 24.08±6.54 years, participated in the study. The participants answered the Nutrition for Sports Knowledge Questionnaire and the Sports Supplements Belief Scale questions after the questionnaire in which their demographic and anthropometric characteristics were questioned. 
 Results
 When the sportspeople’s average nutrition knowledge level was examined, it was determined that they are at a weak level of knowledge (34.18±13.84) and that they are less prone to using doping and similar banned nutritional supplements (17.79±9.01) in terms of their approach to sports nutritional supplements. No statistically significant difference was found in terms of the sports supplements belief scale and the nutrition for sports knowledge questionnaire based on the sportspeople’s sex, age, karate categories, training duration, and BMI (p>0.05).
 Conclusion
 Adequate and balanced nutrition habits are very important for sportspeople to have good physical performance as well as health. Clubs, coaches and sportspeople seeking success in national and international fields should cooperate with a nutrition expert.