Nutritional knowledge level, attitudes to ergogenic support and related factors of individuals who regularly do fitness

Objective: This study was conducted to examine the relationship between the nutritional knowledge levels of individuals who regularly do fitness and their attitudes towards ergogenic support. Materials and Methods: A total of 376 participants were reached and the questionnaire form was evaluated for analysis. Personal Information Form, Athlete Nutrition Information Scale (SSBS) and Nutritional Ergogenic Support Attitude Scale were used in the study. Descriptive statistics and frequency distributions were calculated. Since it was understood that the data did not show a normal distribution and the parametric test assumptions were not met, the independent sample Mann Whitney U test for binary variables and the Kruskal Wallis H test for more than two variables were applied. Spearman correlation coefficient (r) was used to determine whether there is a relationship between Nutrition Knowledge Levels of Fitness Individuals and their Attitudes towards Ergogenic Support. Results: Participants' Ergogenic Support Attitude levels were moderate in benefit (x̄ =2.8874), natural nutrition (x̄ =2.7467) sub-dimensions, and Nutritional Ergogenic Support scores (x̄ =2.6280); side effects and ethics are at a low level (x̄ =2.2267). It is seen that the median score of the participants from the Athlete Nutrition Knowledge scale is 43.83 and 69.9% of the participants have a weak knowledge level. Nutritional ergogenic support attitude scores and variables of age, doing sports and using ergogenic support in the scale total score and all sub-dimensions, in the gender and income status variable, in the scale total scores except for the side effects and ethics sub-dimension, in the educational status variable in the benefit and natural nutrition sub-dimension. It is seen that there is a statistically significant difference in all sub-dimensions except for (p<0.05). As a result of Spearman's correlation analysis performed between nutritional knowledge levels and attitudes towards ergogenic support, it is seen that there is a statistically significant difference between participants' nutritional knowledge levels and all sub-dimensions, and their attitudes towards ergogenic support and all sub-dimensions (p<0.01). Conclusion: The nutritional knowledge level of individuals who exercise regularly is insufficient, the general attitude towards ergogenic support is unstable, individuals between the ages of 18-25 are more knowledgeable about nutrition, individuals over the age of 30 have insufficient knowledge about ergogenic support, female individuals are primarily benefit and health. It has been concluded that the education level is insufficient on the nutritional knowledge, the increase in the income level is not additive to the nutritional knowledge and the nutritional knowledge of those who use ergogenic support is insufficient. Keywords: Ergonomic Support, Fitness, Nutrition.