ROLE OF SPORTS NUTRITION KNOWLEDGE IN SHAPING EATING BEHAVIOR AND FITNESS PERCEPTION OF ATHLETES

Abstract

Sports nutrition knowledge is an important component of athletic preparation because appropriate dietary decisions support training demands, recovery, health, and sustained participation in sport. This study examined the relationship of sports nutrition knowledge with eating behavior and fitness perception among male club-level athletes in District Dera Ismail Khan. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was used with 221 male athletes participating in cricket, football, and badminton. Data were analyzed in SPSS Version 29 using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis. Participants reported mean scores of 3.48 ± 0.60 for sports nutrition knowledge, 3.40 ± 0.57 for eating behavior, and 3.55 ± 0.59 for fitness perception, all within the moderate range. Sports nutrition knowledge was positively correlated with eating behavior (r = .47, p < .01) and fitness perception (r = .54, p < .01), and eating behavior was positively correlated with fitness perception (r = .50, p < .01). Regression analysis showed that sports nutrition knowledge significantly predicted eating behavior (β = .44, t = 5.80, p < .001) and fitness perception (β = .52, t = 6.45, p < .001). The findings indicate that greater nutrition knowledge is associated with healthier reported eating behavior and more positive perceptions of physical fitness, and these findings highlight the value of structured nutrition education and professional nutrition support for club-level athletes.