Journal of Nutrition,Fasting and Health

Journal of Nutrition,Fasting and Health

Effects of a Practical Nutrition Education Program on Nutritional Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Male Athletes

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Mohammad Ali Izadi 1
Farhad Daryanoosh 1
Amir Hossein Zarifkar 2
1 Department of Sport Science, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
2 Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran.
10.22038/jnfh.2026.91925.1603
Abstract
Introduction: Athletes often experience deficiencies in nutrients and micronutrients within their diets. This problem can be attributed to limited nutritional knowledge, which may lead to inadequate dietary practices and an overreliance on supplements or processed foods. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a practical nutrition education program on athletes’ nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and nutritional practices.
Methods: A total of 60 male athletes were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 30). All participants completed a validated questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics, nutritional knowledge, nutritional attitudes, and nutrition practices before and after the one-month intervention. Nutritional knowledge, attitude, and performance were assessed using Wardle’s validated nutrition knowledge questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test and Mann–Whitney U test, and a significance level of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. After a one-month educational course, both groups completed the same questionnaire again to assess changes in the measured variables.
Results: Intergroup analysis revealed a significant increase in all four measured variables nutritional knowledge, attitude, performance, and competence in the intervention group. The nutrition education course significantly increased nutritional knowledge, attitude, performance, and overall nutritional competence in the intervention group compared with the control group (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Implementing such programs can support athletes in achieving their goals more effectively. Moreover, nutrition education encourages healthy eating behaviors and informed food choices within the athletic community, ultimately promoting overall health and well-being.
Keywords
Athletes
Practice
Supplements
Knowledge
Attitude
Subjects
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Journal of Nutrition,Fasting and Health

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 19 September 2026

  • Receive Date 12 October 2025
  • Revise Date 15 July 2026
  • Accept Date 14 September 2026