Knowledge about nutrition by gym attenders of gym a municipality in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

Introduction: The interaction between nutrition and exercise has been studied for many years. Results confirm the health and quality of life benefits provided when used together and correctly. Lack of information, untrained professionals and inadequate dietary intake can bring various health risks. Objective: Identify the level of nutrition knowledge of exercise practitioners. Materials and methods: This is a transversal, quantitative and descriptive approach. The study was carried out with 216 practitioners of physical exercise, over 18 years of age, of both genders, from two gyms in Frederico Westphalen/RS. A questionnaire with 21 questions was applied online. Results and discussion: Of the 216 participants, 62% (n=134) were female and 38% (n=82) were male. The average age was 31.07±11.18 years. Only 25.46% scored 50% or more correct answers in the proposed questionnaire. Furthermore, it became possible to identify that one of the main difficulties was to establish the relationship between a nutrient and its source. Also, 62% said they had already followed nutritional advice given by non-professionals. The most used supplement was Whey Protein, representing 44.44% (n=96), followed by multivitamin 30.09% (n=65), omega 3 26.38% (n=57) and creatine 25.46% (n=55). Conclusion: It becomes visible that research participants need the guidance of appropriate professionals, considering that most participants do not have a basic knowledge of nutrition.