Table 2 Nutrition Knowledge (NK) of DIB Players and Coaches^a

Carbohydrates ( bread, potatoes..) are not as easily and rapidly digested as protein

0.34

 Incorrect

64(36)

42(33.3)

22(42.3)

5(45.5)

 Correct

114(64)

84(66.7)

30(57.7)

6(54.5)

Carbohydrates ( bread, potatoes..) are not as easily and rapidly digested as fat

0.06

 Incorrect

83(46.6)

65(51.6)

18(34.6)

4(36.4)

 Correct

95(53.4)

61(48.4)

34(65.4)

7(63.6)

Fiber in the diet may help to decrease constipation

0.00

 Incorrect

86(48.3)

71(56.3)

15(28.8)

5(45.5)

 Correct

92(51.7)

55(43.7)

37(71.2)

6(54.5)

Fiber in the diet may help decrease blood cholesterol

0.71

 Incorrect

80(44.9)

55(43.7)

25(48.1)

6(54.5)

 Correct

98(55.1)

71(56.3)

27(51.9)

5(45.5)

Fiber in the diet may help prevent cancers

1.00

 Incorrect

75(42.1)

53(42.1)

22(42.3)

3(27.3)

 Correct

103(57.9)

73(57.9)

30(57.7)

8(72.7)

Eggs are examples of protein sources other than meats

0.00

 Incorrect

26(14.6)

25(19.8)

1(1.9)

1(9.1)

 Correct

152(85.4)

101(80.2)

51(98.1)

10(90.9)

Legumes (beans, lentils..) are examples of protein sources other than meats

0.01

 Incorrect

53(29.8)

30(23.8)

23(44.2)

 Correct

125(70.2)

96(76.2)

29(55.8)

11(100.0)

Protein is the primary source of muscular energy for the athlete

0.23

 Incorrect

145(81.5)

106(84.1)

39(75.0)

8(72.7)

 Correct

33(18.5)

20(15.9)

13(25.0)

3(27.3)

Protein is not stored in the body; therefore, it needs to be consumed everyday

0.00

 Incorrect

60(33.7)

27(21.4)

33(63.5)

6(54.5)

 Correct

118(66.3)

99(78.6)

19(36.5)

5(45.5)

Increasing protein in the diet is necessary in order to increase muscle mass of the body

0.01

 Incorrect

148(83.1)

98(77.8)

50(96.2)

10(90.9)

 Correct

30(16.9)

28(22.2)

2(3.8)

1(9.1)

Cheese is a good source of iron in the diet

0.05

 Incorrect

107(60.1)

82(65.1)

25(48.1)

6(54.5)

 Correct

71(39.9)

44(34.9)

27(51.9)

5(45.5)

No more than 15% of calories in the diet should be provided by fat

0.14

 Incorrect

142(80.2)

97(77.0)

45(88.2)

9(81.8)

 Correct

35(19.8)

29(23.0)

6(11.8)

2(18.2)

Iron-deficiency anemia (lack of iron) results in a decrease in the amount of oxygen that can be carried in the blood and therefore impairs athletic performance

0.16

 Incorrect

63(35.4)

40(31.7)

23(44.2)

3(27.3)

 Correct

115(64.6)

86(68.3)

29(55.8)

8(72.7)

Vitamin supplementation is recommended for all physically active persons

0.35

 Incorrect

141(79.2)

97(77.0)

44(84.6)

8(72.7)

 Correct

37(20.8)

29(23.0)

8(15.4)

3(27.3)

Excess vitamin supplementation may harm the physically active person

0.00

 Incorrect

101(56.7)

84(66.7)

17(32.7)

5(45.5)

 Correct

77(43.3)

42(33.3)

35(67.3)

6(54.5)

Vitamins are a good source of energy

0.64

 Incorrect

138(77.5)

96(76.2)

42(80.8)

6(54.5)

 Correct

40(22.5)

30(23.8)

10(19.2)

5(45.5)

Carrots are a good source of vitamin A

0.72

 Incorrect

70(39.3)

48(38.1)

22(42.3)

3(27.3)

 Correct

108(60.7)

78(61.9)

30(57.7)

8(72.7)

Whole fat milk is a better source of vitamin D than fat free milk

0.01

 Incorrect

120(67.4)

77(61.1)

43(82.7)

10(90.9)

 Correct

59(32.6)

49(38.9)

9(17.3)

1(9.1)

Whole fat milk is better source of vitamin D than low fat milk

0.00

 Incorrect

116(65.2)

73(57.9)

43(82.7)

8(72.7)

 Correct

62(34.8)

53(42.1)

9(17.3)

3(27.3)

A lack of iron in the diet can result in fatigue

0.00

 Incorrect

65(36.5)

60(47.6)

5(9.6)

2(18.2)

 Correct

113(63.5)

66(52.4)

47(90.4)

9(81.8)

A lack of iron in the diet can result in injury

0.00

 Incorrect

81(46.3)

67(54.5)

14(26.9)

1(9.1)

 Correct

94(53.7)

56(45.5)

38(73.1)

10(90.9)

Dehydration (when you lose more fluid than you take in your body) can impair physical performance

0.06

 Incorrect

38(21.3)

32(25.4)

6(11.5)

1(9.1)

 Correct

140(78.7)

94(74.6)

46(88.5)

10(90.9)

During activity, feeling thirsty is an adequate indicator of the need for liquid (water, sport drink...)

0.01

 Incorrect

159(89.3)

107(84.9)

52(100.0)

11(100.0)

 Correct

19(10.7)

19(15.1)

0(0.0)

During exercise, mass ingestion of large amounts of any fluid (water, sport drink...) is preferred over frequent ingestion of small amounts

0.61

 Incorrect

96(53.9)

70(55.6)

26(50.0)

8(72.7)

 Correct

82(46.1)

56(44.4)

26(50.0)

3(27.3)

An athlete should drink no water during practice, but rather rinse out his or her mouth

1.00

 Incorrect

41(23.0)

29(23.0)

12(23.1)

4(36.4)

 Correct

137(77.0)

97(77.0)

40(76.9)

7(63.6)

An athlete should drink no water during practice, but rather suck on ice cubes

0.14

 Incorrect

46(25.8)

37(29.4)

9(17.3)

3(27.3)

 Correct

132(74.2)

89(70.6)

43(82.7)

8(72.7)

Sports drinks are the best way to replace body fluids lost during exercise

 Incorrect

127(71.3)

90(71.4)

37(71.2)

6(54.5)

 Correct

51(28.7)

36(28.6)

15(28.8)

5(45.5)

Caffeine can increase the risk of dehydration

0.96

 Incorrect

57(32.0)

41(32.5)

16(30.8)

4(36.4)

 Correct

121(68.0)

85(67.5)

36(69.2)

7(63.6)

An athlete involved in endurance events (eg, long distance running) should follow a considerably different diet than one participating in events of short duration (eg, sprinting)

0.10

 Incorrect

138(77.5)

93(73.8)

45(86.5)

6(54.5)

 Correct

40(22.5)

33(26.2)

7(13.5)

5(45.5)

A physically fit person eating a nutritionally adequate diet can improve his or her performance by consuming greater amounts of nutrients

0.00

 Incorrect

133(74.7)

85(67.5)

48(92.3)

10(90.9)

 Correct

45(25.3)

41(32.5)

4(7.7)

1(9.1)

A sound nutritional practice for athletes is to eat a wide variety of different food types everyday

0.24

 Incorrect

72(40.4)

55(43.7)

17(32.7)

1(9.1)

 Correct

106(59.6)

71(56.3)

35(67.3)

10(90.9)

Nutrition is more important during the competitive season than during the off-season for the athlete

0.91

 Incorrect

85(47.8)

61(48.4)

24(46.2)

2(18.2)

 Correct

93(52.2)

65(51.6)

28(53.8)

9(81.8)

What the athlete eats is only important if the athlete is trying to gain weight

0.03

 Incorrect

45(25.3)

38(30.2)

7(13.5)

2(18.2)

 Correct

133(74.7)

88(69.8)

45(86.5)

9(81.8)

What the athlete eats is only important if the athlete is trying to lose weight

0.68

 Incorrect

43(24.2)

32(25.4)

11(21.2)

2(18.2)

 Correct

135(75.8)

94(74.6)

41(78.8)

9(81.8)

Skipping meals is justifiable if you need to lose weight quickly

0.00

 Incorrect

77(43.3)

64(50.8)

13(25.0)

2(18.2)

 Correct

101(56.7)

62(49.2)

39(75.0)

9(81.8)

When trying to lose weight, acidic foods such as grapefruit are of special value because they burn fat

1.00

 Incorrect

80(44.9)

57(45.2)

23(44.2)

7(63.6)

 Correct

98(55.1)

69(54.8)

29(55.8)

4(36.4)

If trying to lose weight, carbohydrates should come from fruits and vegetables rather than from breads and pastas

0.61

 Incorrect

65(36.5)

48(38.1)

17(32.7)

5(45.5)

 Correct

113(63.5)

78(61.9)

35(67.3)

6(54.5)

Alcohol has more calories per gram than protein

0.24

 Incorrect

57(32.0)

37(29.4)

20(38.5)

4(36.4)

 Correct

121(68.0)

89(70.6)

32(61.5)

7(63.6)

A 90kg (200-pound) person uses about twice as many calories to run a 1.6km (1mile) as a 45kg (100-pound) person

1.00

 Incorrect

122(68.5)

86(68.3)

36(69.2)

7(63.6)

 Correct

56(31.5)

40(31.7)

16(30.8)

4(36.4)

A person with a higher percentage of body fat may weigh less than a person of the same size with a greater muscle mass

0.00

 Incorrect

88(49.4)

72(57.1)

16(30.8)

2(18.2)

 Correct

90(50.6)

54(42.9)

36(69.2)

9(81.8)

A high fat meal, which is slowly digested, should be avoided before athletic events

0.19

 Incorrect

59(33.1)

46(36.5)

13(25.0)

1(9.1)

 Correct

119(66.9)

80(63.5)

39(75.0)

10(90.9)

The pre-event meal should be eaten about 3-4 hours before competition

0.00

 Incorrect

52(29.2)

46(36.5)

6(11.5)

5(45.5)

 Correct

126(70.8)

80(63.5)

46(88.5)

6(54.5)

Foods such as potatoes are best eaten after exercise

0.03

 Incorrect

125(70.2)

82(65.1)

43(82.7)

7(63.6)

 Correct

53(29.8)

44(34.9)

9(17.3)

4(36.4)

Foods such as honey are best eaten after exercise

0.04

 Incorrect

115(64.6)

75(59.5)

40(76.9)

9(81.8)

 Correct

63(35.4)

51(40.5)

12(23.1)

2(18.2)

NK Score^d

22.08±5.32

21.89±4.94

22.55±6.16

0.18

24.18±5.25

% NK questions answered correctly^e

50.18±12.08

49.74±11.22

51.25 ±14.00

0.18

54.96±11.93

NK Status^f

0.03

 Adequate

35(20.1)

19(15.4)

16(31.4)

5(45.5)

 Inadequate

139(79.9)

104(84.6)

35(68.6)

6(54.5)