KNOWLEDGE OF NUTRITION, DIETARY PRACTICES & ANTHROPOMETRIC PROFILE OF SPORTSPERSONS AT KHUMAN LAMPAK SPORTS COMPLEX, IMPHAL, MANIPUR

Abstract

Nutrition is essential for athletic success, enhancing performance, supporting recovery, and
maintaining health. Athletes require well-structured diets to meet the demands of intense
training, competition, and recovery. Understanding the key concepts of nutrition is essential
for optimal performance, sustaining energy and overall well-being.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate sportspersons' knowledge of nutrition across various
sports disciplines, assess their understanding of key nutritional concepts, examine their
dietary practices and measure their anthropometric indices.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 100
athletes including both male and female across various sports disciplines. Assessment of
nutritional knowledge and dietary practices were done using a structured questionnaire and
Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Hip Ratio (WHR) were also calculated to assess the
nutritional status by taking height, weight, waist and hip measurements. The collected data
were tabulated and statistically analysed using Percentage, Frequency, Mean and Standard
Deviation.
Results and Conclusion: This study found that most athletes had healthy body compositions,
with 82.6% of female and 74.1% of male athletes in the normal BMI range and optimal fat
distribution. However, nearly 60% of female athletes and 11% of male athletes showed
moderate to high-risk WHR, indicating potential health concerns. While nutrition knowledge
was strong, gaps in understanding food labels and supplement use were identified, suggesting
the need for further education to enhance performance and health.