Musau Joshua, Folasire Oluyemisi F, Mkumbuzi Nonhlanhla S
Sports Management and Policy Development Program, The Pan African University Life and Earth Sciences Institute (including Health and Agriculture- PAULESI), 200132, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Department of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, 200284, Ibadan, Nigeria.
BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2025 May 2;17(1):110. doi: 10.1186/s13102-025-01157-8.
Athletes' nutrition knowledge depends on the sources of nutrition information they are exposed to and their social status. Currently, there is a dearth of literature on the nutrition knowledge of Ugandan athletes. This study assessed endurance athletes' sports nutrition knowledge, sources of nutrition information, and their dietary consumption patterns.
A cross-sectional descriptive study including 100 purposively selected (middle and long distance) athletes from four Athletic Management camps was conducted in Kapchorwa district, Uganda. Using an interviewer-administered questionnaire, trained research assistants collected athletes' demographic information, knowledge, practices, sources of nutrition information and consumption patterns. ANOVA, Independent t-test, Chi-square analysis, and Binary logistic analyses were done using SPSS software version 23.0.
Most athletes n = 74 (74.0%) in this study were aged between 15 and 17 years with at least 2 years' experience in athletics. Majority n = 68 (68.0%) of the athletes had good sports nutrition knowledge while n = 32 (32.0%) showed poor knowledge. About n = 88 (88.0%) knew that vitamin consumption can enhance recovery after training. Athletic trainers n = 49 (49.0%) and family/parents n = 28 (28.0%) were primary sources of nutrition information, while nutritionists/dietitians n = 5 (5.0%) and the internet n = 4 (4.0%) were less consulted. Cereals were the most consumed food group n = 72 (72.0%), followed by legumes and nuts n = 67 (67.0%) while the least consumed foods were milk/egg n = 33 (33.0%)), fish n = 25 (25.0%) and meat/poultry n = 13 (13.0%). Good sports nutrition knowledge was associated with adequate dietary practices (p = 0.009). Sports nutrition knowledge differed significantly with age group (F = 4.566, p = 0.013), and between female and male (F = 21.884, p < 0.000) athletes. Age group was a significant predictor (β = 1.925, Ex(β) = 6.853, C. I = 0.882-36.096, p = 0.023) of sports nutrition knowledge.
In this study endurance athletes had good sports nutrition knowledge, and relied primarily on their coaches/trainers for sports nutrition information. It is recommended that athletic trainers be offered supplementary training in sports nutrition to ensure proper nutrition knowledge dissemination among athletes.
运动员的营养知识取决于他们所接触的营养信息来源及其社会地位。目前，关于乌干达运动员营养知识的文献匮乏。本研究评估了耐力运动员的运动营养知识、营养信息来源及其饮食消费模式。
在乌干达卡普乔瓦区进行了一项横断面描述性研究，从四个运动管理营地中选取了100名（中长跑）有目的选择的运动员。训练有素的研究助理使用访谈式问卷收集运动员的人口统计学信息、知识、实践、营养信息来源和消费模式。使用SPSS 23.0软件进行方差分析、独立t检验、卡方分析和二元逻辑分析。
本研究中大多数运动员（n = 74，74.0%）年龄在15至17岁之间，至少有两年的田径运动经验。大多数运动员（n = 68，68.0%）具有良好的运动营养知识，而32名（32.0%）运动员知识较差。约88名（88.0%）运动员知道摄入维生素可以促进训练后的恢复。运动教练（n = 49，49.0%）和家人/父母（n = 28，28.0%）是营养信息的主要来源，而咨询营养师/饮食学家（n = 5，5.0%）和互联网（n = 4，4.0%）的较少。谷物是消费最多的食物组（n = 72，72.0%），其次是豆类和坚果（n = 67，67.0%），而消费最少的食物是牛奶/鸡蛋（n = 33，33.0%）、鱼（n = 25，25.0%）和肉/家禽（n = 13，13.0%）。良好的运动营养知识与充足的饮食习惯相关（p = 0.009）。运动营养知识在不同年龄组（F = 4.566，p = 0.013）以及男女运动员之间（F = 21.884，p < 0.000）存在显著差异。年龄组是运动营养知识的一个重要预测因素（β = 1.925，Ex(β) = 6.853，置信区间 = 0.882 - 36.096，p = 0.023）。
在本研究中，耐力运动员具有良好的运动营养知识，并且主要依靠他们的教练获取运动营养信息。建议为运动教练提供运动营养方面的补充培训，以确保在运动员中正确传播营养知识。
