Al-Maseimi Ola D, Ahmad Leena, Elsahoryi Nour A, Al-Maaitah Lena
Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Al-Balqa Applied University, Al-Salt, Jordan.
Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy & Medical Sciences, University of Petra, Amman, Jordan.
J Nutr Sci. 2025 Jun 16;14:e43. doi: 10.1017/jns.2025.10013. eCollection 2025.
Interest in probiotics and prebiotics in sports nutrition is growing, but research on Jordanian athletes remains limited. While gut microbiota influences athletic performance, little is known about athletes' understanding and use of probiotic- and prebiotic-rich foods in this region. This exploratory study investigates the knowledge, dietary habits, and correlations with gastrointestinal (GI) problems among Jordanian athletes to inform future research and interventions. The study provides insights into how awareness and consumption of gut-supportive foods can impact GI health, offering broader nutritional implications for global dietary strategies for athletes. A standardised questionnaire was administered to 324 athletes (ages 18-22) to assess knowledge, dietary practices, and GI symptoms. Descriptive statistics summarised the data, and chi-square tests examined associations among knowledge, diet, and GI symptoms (p < 0.05). Knowledge and diet were scored based on correct responses and reported intake of gut-supporting foods. Results showed that 55.9% of athletes were familiar with probiotics and 32.1% with prebiotics. The majority reported low consumption of probiotic- and prebiotic-rich foods, with 72.2% scoring low on diet intake. Although 60.5% seldom consumed fast food, overall intake of gut-supportive foods was limited. No statistically significant associations were found, but a weak positive trend between dietary habits and GI symptoms was observed, suggesting diet may have a modest influence on GI health. Living arrangements influenced both dietary choices and GI symptoms. This study highlights the need for targeted nutrition education to improve awareness and intake of probiotics and prebiotics, potentially supporting GI health and enhancing athletic performance.
运动营养领域对益生菌和益生元的关注度日益增加，但针对约旦运动员的研究仍然有限。虽然肠道微生物群会影响运动表现，但对于该地区运动员对富含益生菌和益生元食物的了解及使用情况却知之甚少。这项探索性研究调查了约旦运动员的相关知识、饮食习惯以及与胃肠道（GI）问题的相关性，以为未来的研究和干预提供参考。该研究深入探讨了对肠道有益食物的认知和摄入如何影响胃肠道健康，为全球运动员饮食策略提供了更广泛的营养启示。对324名年龄在18至22岁之间的运动员进行了标准化问卷调查，以评估他们的知识、饮食习惯和胃肠道症状。描述性统计对数据进行了总结，卡方检验则考察了知识、饮食和胃肠道症状之间的关联（p < 0.05）。知识和饮食根据正确回答以及报告的对肠道有益食物摄入量进行评分。结果显示，55.9%的运动员熟悉益生菌，32.1%的运动员熟悉益生元。大多数人报告称富含益生菌和益生元的食物摄入量较低，72.2%的人在饮食摄入方面得分较低。尽管60.5%的人很少食用快餐，但总体而言，对肠道有益食物的摄入量仍然有限。未发现具有统计学意义的关联，但观察到饮食习惯与胃肠道症状之间存在微弱的正相关趋势，这表明饮食可能对胃肠道健康有一定程度的影响。生活安排对饮食选择和胃肠道症状均有影响。这项研究强调了开展有针对性的营养教育的必要性，以提高对益生菌和益生元的认知及摄入量，这可能有助于支持胃肠道健康并提升运动表现。
