Comparison of nutritional knowledge and habits of basketball players in young men’s basketball group matches in Turkey and young sedentaries in the same age group

Abstract

The aim of the study performed is to determine nutritional information and habits of sedentary young people in the same age group with basketball players in young men's basketball group matches in Turkey and to detect whether there is a difference between two groups. A total of 189 subjects consisting of 84 basketball players playing in young men's basketball group matches in Turkey and 105 sedentary young men in the same age group with them were enrolled in the study. Of the basketball players, mean age was 16.9±0.8, mean height was 184±8.4 and mean weight was 73.05±9.74. Of the sedentary men, mean age was 16.2±1.1, mean height was 170.9 ± 0.3 and mean weight was 61.3 ± 10.98. The questionnaire consisting of 31 questions was administered to the subjects in young men's basketball group match in Turkey. The data obtained were evaluated by determining the percentage distributions. When the nutritional information of the subjects was compared, it was determined that basketball players were informed by 65.5% and sedentaries were informed by 27.6%. In determination whether the subjects pay attention to nutrition, basketball players answered yes by 67.9% and sedentaries answered yes by 59%. In detection of the number of meals the subjects ate, it was reported that 65.5% of basketball players ate three meals a day while 70.5% of sedentaries ate meals a day. In determination of whether the subjects made breakfast in the morning, basketball players answered yes by 67.9% and sedentaries answered yes by 68.6%. When asked whether the subjects had non-meal habits, basketball players answered yes by 72.6% and sedentaries answered yes by 79%. It was observed that although youth engaged in sports actively had more information about nutrition and had to pay more attention to nutrition when compared to sedentary group, the effect was not at the desired level.