Determination of the adult professional male soccer player's hedonic hunger and nutritional status

This study has been conducted to investigate the effect of physical acitivty on hedonic hunger by identifying the hedonic hunger and nutritional status of the professional soccer players who has a high intensity long term exercise and sedantary control group. The athletes group has been divided into two groups as phsically active and inactive season (halftime break), and the results has been evaluated within the scope of the research. This study was carried out on totaly 50 healthy individuals aged between 18-35 with similar demographic characterictics (25 professional athletes and 25 sedantary control group who is a playing and working at a football club in Türkish Football Federation 1th League). A questionnaire was applied to determine the sociodemographic characteristics (age, marital status, educational status, etc.) and general / dietary habits of the individuals (frequency of main meals/snack consumption etc.). In addition, the anthropometric measurements and body composition of the individuals were determined by the researcher. Hedonic hunger situation of the individuals was determined by the ''Besin Gücü Ölçeği-BGÖ''. The scale was applied to the participants after lunch which was eaten together and contained the same nutrients at sport club facility's restaurant. The scores of the total and subgroups were calculated between 1 and 5 at the evaluation stage of the BGÖ which is answered with a five-point Likert scale. As a result of the evaluation made over five points, the mean score of the scale is above 2.5 indicates that the presence of hedonic hunger and affected from foods. The BGÖ mean total scores of the soccer players (active period and inactive period) and sedentary group were 3.0 ± 0.6, 2.5 ± 0.5 and 2.4 ± 0.5, respectively. Mean total score and ''food availability'', ''food tested'' subgroup mean scores was found to be higher in the active group than the sedantary group (p<0.05). Mean total score and all the subgroup mean scores of the BGÖ was higher in active session than inactive session in players group (p<0.05). Hedonic hunger and the affected by food was higher in soccer players than sedantery individuals (p<0.05). Daily energy, macro and micronutrient intake and fluid intake of soccer players were found to be insufficient according to the recommendations. Persentige of energy from protein and fat was found to be high. Daily intake of thiamine, folate, potassium, calcium and magnesium was found to be below the Dietary Reference Intake Level (DRI). The daily consumption of B12, phosphorus, iron, zinc was found to be higher than the daily recommendations as a result of high animal food consumption. When consumption of food groups were evaluated in soccer players according to the Nutrition Guide for Turkey (TÜBER), it was determined that the consumption of milk group, fish, legumes/ oilseeds, cereal group and vegetable-fruit group remained below the daily recommendations. This study may indicate that long-term high intensive exercise may have an effect on hedonic processes. However, since the conflicting findings in the literatüre more research is needed to understand the possible interaction. Keywords: Hedonic hunger, soccer, power of food, nutrition