International Journal of Yoga, Physiotherapy and Physical Education

Authors
Getachew Tesema, Vijay Mohan

Abstract
Nutrition knowledge is vital for improving sport and exercise performance. Sports nutritional science is not well recognized in Ethiopia. Hence the focus of this study was intended to examine the nutritional knowledge of football coaches in Ethiopian premier league football clubs, specifically emphasizing on the knowledge of macro nutrients, micro nutrients, hydration, recovery, and supplements. A Cross-sectional research design (survey), involved 12 coaches from four clubs (two top finishing and two bottom finishing clubs) were purposively selected. Nutrition knowledge of coaches were assessed using validated questionnaire. ANOVA was used for the group comparisons of Football clubs, coaches’ responsibility, as well as age of the coaches and Post-hoc test was used when statistically significant mean differences was observed. Coaches’ nationality and knowledge was analyzed using independent sample t-test. The result indicates almost 60% of macro & micro nutrients questions were answered correctly by Ethio coffee FC and no statistically significant difference. In hydration knowledge the total correct percentage score was higher for St Gorge FC 66.67% and no statistically significant difference. All the football clubs’ under study has good recovery nutrition knowledge, but in contrary they lacks knowledge of sport supplements. The main coaches has better knowledge in most of nutrition knowledge category except in supplement knowledge, where all lacks it. Least score (below 46%) in the category of macro nutrients, hydration, and recovery were observed for the strength and conditioning coaches. While deputy coaches has less correct score (less than 41%) in micro nutrient knowledge. There was no any statistical significant deference in the all categories of nutrition knowledge for the age groups of the coaches. The nationality of coaches indicates significant statistical difference under the categories of macro nutrients, micro nutrients and hydration knowledge, but no statistical deference were observed for recovery and supplements knowledge subcategory. Foreign coaches correct knowledge scores were higher than Ethiopian coaches in all the nutrition knowledge domains. Even though St Gorge FC coaches and Ethio Coffee FC coaches has adequate sport nutrition knowledge than ELPHA FC and Hadiya Hosanna FC, but in common the coaches sampled in this study did not possess adequate sport nutritional knowledge.