Assessment of nutritional status of elite athletes with special reference to nutrition knowledge of the athletes and the coaches
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Date
2017
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
Research study for the assessment of nutritional status and knowledge of 120 (16-25 years) elite athletes and nutrition knowledge of their coaches, selected from 5 universities and participating in 4 sports viz. hockey, athletics, badminton and lawn tennis was carried out. The nutritional status of athletes was assessed by anthropometric measurements and haemoglobin analysis followed by their nutrient intake using 24 hour recall method. Their physical activity level was recorded followed by assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) score along with the KAP score of coaches. Anthropometric analysis revealed that the males had an average value of height (1.76m); weight (72.1kg), Body Mass Index (BMI) (23.1 kg/m2), waist circumference (31.6 inches), hip circumference (37.8 inches) and waist hip ratio (0.8) while the corresponding values among females were1.6m, 54.3kg, 20.5kg/m2, 26.7inches, 36 inches and 0.74 respectively. The overall triceps skinfold thickness of males (8.5mm) was found to be significantly (p≤0.05) lesser as compared to females (11.7mm). A total of 57% selected athletes had a normal BMI. The haemoglobin level of the athletes was found to be 13.8g/dL among males which was significantly (p≤0.05) higher than the average haemoglobin level of 10.8g/dL in females. Majority of all the selected males i.e. 95.4% were non-anaemic while 41.8% of the females were found to be mildly anaemic. The overall nutrient intake findings suggested that the protein intake of males (107 g/day) was higher than females (85.2 g/day); no significant difference regarding fat intake by males (96.8 g/day) and females (84.9g/day) except in athletics observing a significantly higher (p≤0.05) fat intake by males (107.8 g/day) compared to females (78.9 g/day); significantly higher (p≤0.05) iron intake by males (22.1mg/day) than females (18.6mg/day); while consumption of calcium (88.5%), vitamin A (95.3%) and vitamin C (171.2%) was adequately high among overall athletes. Majority of athletes (51.7%) had vigorously active lifestyle; 44.2% had active lifestyle. The KAP score of athletes exhibited a significant (p≤0.05) difference between male and female athletes among the athletes of hockey and lawn tennis. However, the difference between overall male and female athletes was observed to be statistically non-significant. Majority of coaches (96.7%) had no formal training in sports nutrition and 90% of them had no access to registered dietician. KAP score data of the coaches revealed that 10% had excellent KAP score; 53% had a very good score; 30% had good KAP and 6.7% had average to poor score. The haemoglobin level of the athletes revealed a positive significant (p≤0.05) correlation with the time spent in sports. A positive significant (p≤0.05) correlation between KAP score of coaches and their years of experience was observed. KAP score of athletes had a significantly (p≤0.05) positive correlation with the KAP score of coaches
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