Evaluation of General and Sport Nutrition Knowledge of Nairobi County Fitness Instructors
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Date
2023
Authors
Wanjira, Janet Kamenju
Muhalia, Janet Chumba
Thangu, Edna Katiwa
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
IJRISS
Abstract
Physical training and nutrition are inseparable, given their shared effects on health, fitness, and performance
outcome. This relationship makes gym trainers a de facto player in nutritional counseling despite evidence
of their low proficiency on the subject. In developed countries, gym trainers are highly regulated, and their
roles, particularly in dietary practice, are dictated by the scope of their training. In Kenya (a developing
country), gym trainers are hardly regulated, and their nutrition knowledge is unknown and undocumented,
yet anecdotal evidence shows they are practicing it. Therefore, the overall aim of the study was to evaluate
the general and sports nutrition knowledge of Gym instructors in Kenya. An invitation to participate in a
survey was done with gym instructors participating in fitness course at the University of Nairobi. Twenty
gym instructors (10 males and 10 females) nutritional knowledge was assessed using Fuber Robert’s general
and sports nutrition knowledge questionnaires. The general and sports nutrition knowledge of Nairobi gym
instructors was found to be inadequate 36.8% (95% CI: 7.4, 66.6), but they showed moderate knowledge in
proteins (53.3%; 10.7) and fats (48.5%; 9.7). Poor sporting performance and supplementation knowledge
were recorded (32.1%; 6.4). Nairobi female gym instructors demonstrated a consistently low general and
sports nutrition knowledge in all the nutrition domains compared to their male counterparts, 33.6% (95%
CI: 0.0, 75.1) and 39.6% (95% CI: 0.0, 82.5), respectively. Conscious efforts, including availing nutrition
education resources, are needed to enhance the nutritional knowledge of Kenya gym instructors.
Description
Article
Keywords
Evaluation, General and Sport Nutrition, Knowledge, Nairobi, Fitness