Investigation of the relationships between nutrition knowledge levels, nutrition exercise behaviors and their self-esteem of Sport Sciences Students

This research was conducted to examine the relationships between nutrition knowledge levels, nutrition-exercise behaviors and self-esteem of faculty of fports sciences students. In this context, the relational screening model was used, consistent with the purpose of the quantitative study. The research group consists of a total of 405 faculty of sports sciences students, 150 women and 255 men. Convenience sampling method was used in the selection of this research group. A survey form was used as a data collection tool and this form consists of four parts. The first part of this survey form consists of "Personal Information Form", the second part is "Nutrition Knowledge Level Scale for Adults", the third part is "Nutrition-Exercise Behavior Scale" and the fourth part is "Two-Dimensional Self-Esteem Scale". First, descriptive statistics of the raw data obtained through this form were calculated, taking into account the data type. Difference and correlation analyzes were conducted on the data obtained in the study. Accordingly, no significant difference was detected in the participants' nutritional knowledge levels, nutrition-exercise behaviors and self-esteem in the context of gender and department variables. Significant differences were found in the nutrition knowledge levels of the participants according to the class variable, but no significant differences were detected in their nutrition-exercise behaviors and self-esteem. Significant differences were found in the nutrition-exercise behaviors of the participants in the context of the active sports variable; However, no significant difference was detected in nutrition knowledge levels and self-esteem. No significant relationship was detected between the participants' age, BMI and monthly personal income variables and the participants' nutritional knowledge levels, nutrition-exercise behaviors and self-esteem. Significant relationships were found between participants' self-efficacy according to the variable monthly family income (including personal income); however, no significant relationship was found between nutritional knowledge levels, nutrition-exercise behaviors and self-love levels. No significant relationship was detected between the participants' nutritional knowledge levels and nutrition-exercise behaviors. However, significant relationships were found between the participants' nutritional knowledge levels and their self-esteem. Additionally, significant relationships were found between the participants' nutrition-exercise behaviors and self-esteem. In this regard, it can be claimed that as the participants' nutritional knowledge levels increase and their nutrition-exercise behaviors improve, their self-esteem also increases. Keywords: Health, nutrition, exercise, self-esteem, sports science, student.