Determining the practices of the trainers interested in bodybuilding sports on the levels of knowledge regarding athlete nutrition and the USE of supplementary food products

This study was carried out to determine the knowledge levels of trainers who are interested in bodybuilding sports about sports nutrition and their practices about the use of food supplements. The research was conducted between March 2021 and May 2021, with the volunteer trainers participating in the study, using online video method. The universe of the study consists of bodybuilding trainers between the ages of 20-50, who are actively working in a sports center in Istanbul. The sample of the study was determined as 95 people as a result of power analysis at 95% confidence interval and 0.05 significance level using the formula n= p.q.t2 / d2. The data were collected with a questionnaire consisting of 11 socio-demographic information questions, 23 multiple-choice general sports nutrition information questions and 4 open-ended food supplements, a total of 39 questions, in order to determine the knowledge levels of the trainers on sports nutrition. The results were evaluated using the SPSS 25.0 statistical package program, by testing with independent samples t-test for two-group comparison and one-way ANOVA analyzes for more than two groups. When the athletes' nutrition knowledge scores were compared according to the variables of gender, marital status and age, education level and duration of coaching, it was found that there was no statistically significant difference (p > 0,05). In the study, it was determined that 86 participants (90.5%) had insufficient knowledge with a score of 50 or less, and 9 people (9.5%) had moderate knowledge with a score of 51-69. It was determined that among the sources from which the participants received support about sports nutrition information and supplementary food products, 36% of them were sports instructors for trainers with insufficient knowledge. Among the participants, 23.3% of the trainers with insufficient knowledge recommended food supplements, 76.7% did not, and 100.0% of the trainers with medium knowledge did not recommend food supplements. 40.0% of trainers protein supplement, 25.0% BCAA, 3% glutamine, 25.0% L-carnitine, 30% CLA, 45% caffeine, 20% stated that they recommend arginine, 20% creatine, and 100% vitamin supplement. At the end of the study, it was concluded that coaches should improve their knowledge in the field of sports nutrition. Keywords: Dietary supplements, Bodybuilding, Bodybuilding trainer, Sports nutrition.