Background
Sports nutrition knowledge may influence athletes' dietary practices, but its relationship with dietary intake and body composition remains unclear, particularly across different competitive levels. This study examined the associations among sports nutrition knowledge, dietary intake, and body composition and compared these variables between amateur and elite collegiate athletes.
Methods
This cross-sectional study included 100 male collegiate athletes (60 amateur and 40 elite). Sports nutrition knowledge was assessed using an adapted Sports Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (SNKQ) developed for this study based on the conceptual framework of the Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire (NSKQ). Dietary intake was evaluated using three-day food records, and body composition was measured by multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. Between-group differences were analyzed using independent-samples t-tests with 95% confidence intervals and Cohen's d. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine associations and identify predictors of body composition.
Results
Elite athletes consumed significantly more energy, protein, and carbohydrates and reported higher meal frequency and daily fluid intake than amateur athletes (all p