The examination of nutrition literacy and eating behavior in athletes

The aim of this study is to examine the nutrition literacy and eating behaviors of athletes, increase awareness on these subjects, and obtain new scientific data in this field. This thesis can contribute to the improvement of dietary habits crucial for sports performance and healthy living by evaluating athletes' nutrition habits and literacy, as well as by examining athletes' eating behaviors to identify potential issues and solutions, thus assisting athletes in adopting a healthier lifestyle. This thesis could also contribute to the field of sports nutrition and pave the way for further research. The study was conducted with 174 volunteer national athletes (59,2% male, 40,8% female) through a web-based survey. Socio-demographic characteristics, nutrition literacy level (Adult Nutrition Literacy Assessment Tool), and eating behavior level (Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire) data were collected through the implemented survey. Of the participants, 74,2% were working with a dietitian, and university graduates were found to reject nutrition information heard from the media more than high school graduates (p=0,022). Those who read food labels while shopping had significantly higher scores in the cognitive restraint subscale (p<0,001). Athletes with income lower than the minimum wage had significantly lower hunger sensitivity scores compared to those earning more than the minimum wage (p=0,026). While 83,3% of the participants were deemed to have sufficient nutrition literacy, 63,2% had sufficient nutrition knowledge, 70,1% understood what they read, 82,2% knew about food groups, 14,4% understood portion sizes, and 35,6% were sufficient in reading food labels and numerical literacy. Participants who obtained nutrition knowledge from dietitians had a higher rate of achieving a sufficient level of nutrition literacy compared to those who did not (p=0,010). Nutrition literacy scores varied significantly among different sports disciplines, with gymnastics athletes having higher scores compared to taekwondo athletes (p=0,027). It is recommended that athletes work with experts in the field to acquire accurate information about nutrition and apply this knowledge in their lives.