An inspection regarding nutrition habits and knowledge level about usage of food supplement for high-level skiers

Regular and balanced nutrition is vital with regards to many facts that directly or indirectly affect a high-level skier, such as increase in performance, avoidance of losses of electrolytes from the body, well-functioning of digestive system, replenishment of energy sources during recovery period subsequent to training or contest. The aim of this study is to observe nutrition habits and knowledge level about usage of food supplement for high-level skiers. In the study, a descriptive survey model has been adopted among the general survey models. 78 high-level skiers, including 58 male skiers (74.4%) and 20 female skiers (25.6%), have participated in the study. The sample group consists of the skiers selected among high-level skiers from several provinces in Turkey based on random sampling method. A personal information form prepared by the researcher is used in order to find out demographical features of the skiers who have participated in the study, while a questionnaire sheet comprising three main sections that has been arranged by experts in the regarding field is used in order to determine the nutrition habits, knowledge level and opinions of the same skiers. The definitive statistics for the analysis of data are based on frequencies and percentage distributions, and significance-level Chi-Square tests have been adopted in order to detect the relation between the participants' demographic features and their nutrition habits and opinions as well. All the analyses have been performed by using the statistics tool SPSS 20. The findings yielded by the study have uncovered that only 1 participant among 78 high-level skiers uses food supplement while other 77 do not use and a vast majority of the participants does not have sufficient knowledge about usage of food supplement and nutrition. The survey results imply that, in Turkey, the related federations, athletic clubs, institutes and, particularly, trainers are required to raise awareness of elite-level skiers about nutrition and ergogenic supplements. Keywords: Ski, High-Level Skiers, Nutrition Food Supplement