Abstract:
The purpose of this study was conducted to assess the nutritional knowledge and dietary
intake habits of Abekute athletics club athletes. A descriptive survey study design was used to
achieve the objectives. The participants of the study were 46 athletes inclusively, 2 head
coaches and 1 club manager purposively included From Abekute athletics club. Relevant data
were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and document reviews. The quantitative
data was obtained from questionnaires and the qualitative data was detained from interviews
and document reviews. The data obtained through questionnaire were analyzed and
summarized using statistical tools. The statistics were entered into SPSS Version 20.0
software for analysis. Frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were used as
statistical measures to perform the quantitative data collected from the respondents.
Moreover, the data gathered through open-ended questionnaires, interviews and document
reviews were considered to complement the data obtained through questionnaires and it was
analyzed qualitatively. The findings of the study revealed that athlete’s general nutritional
knowledge of searching and acquiring nutritional information, nutritional behaviors,
experience regarding to event meal strategies, and dietary intake habits was poor. And also,
skipping breakfast, knowledge concerning to basic nutrient facts and realization was
widespread in Abekute athletics club. Therefore, based on the findings, it can be concluded the
Abekute athletics club athletes verified the shortage of dietary intake habits and nutritional
knowledge in the club. Based on the conclusion drawn, it was recommended that the club
athletes, coaching staffs, and club administrators should offer countless emphasis about
athlete’s nutritional knowledge with the credit of nutritional counselor.
