Abstract Aims: To understand how participating in a Nutrition & Health Education program (NHEP) affected the way rhythm gymnasts and their coaches perceive their food practices. Methods: Qualitative study portraying a case study of a NHEP specifically designed for a rhythm gymnastic team. The NHEP was conducted at the training facilities. Fourteen rhythm gymnasts, consisting of the team that represents a city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, and their two coaches participated in the study. Athletes and coaches were interviewed about their perceptions and food practices before and after a 9-month NHEP designed specifically for them. Recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim. Two categories emerged from the discourses and were analyzed using the content analysis: “beliefs and feeding practices” and “construction of a positive relationship with food”. Results: Athletes reported changes in their food practices related to the themes discussed with them in the NHEP, such as daily breakfast intake, higher intake of fruits, vegetables, milk products, and wholegrain foods. Conclusion: The NHEP allowed specific demands of the athletes to be identified and addressed, generating awareness and motivation to positive changes in eating practices.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar o impacto de um Programa Interdisciplinar de Educação Alimentar, Nutricional e em Saúde sobre o conhecimento nutricional, a intenção de mudança de comportamento alimentar e a insatisfação corporal de jogadoras de voleibol adolescentes. Métodos: A amostra foi composta por 10 atletas de voleibol, jogadoras da categoria juvenil da cidade de Santos, SP, que participaram do programa composto por oito encontros mensais (um grupo de discussão seguido por seis atividades educacionais e um grupo de discussão final para avaliação). Resultados: Conhecimento nutricional, percepção corporal, intenção de mudança de comportamento alimentar, atitudes e práticas alimentares foram investigadas por questionários e grupo de discussão antes e depois da participação das atletas nas atividades lúdicas, as quais abordaram estratégias nutricionais para desempenho esportivo, alimentação saudável, lidar com pressão por resultados e percepção corporal. O conhecimento nutricional aumentou de 57,0% ±9,9 para 63,0% ±11,8 (p=0,03) de acerto. Não houve diferença no escore de distorção corporal (70,0±14,9 versus 76,5±22,4, p=0,235). Seis atletas avançaram na intenção de mudança de comportamento alimentar. Modificações positivas nas práticas alimentares foram relatadas durante as atividades e os discursos identificados apontam intenções de futuras mudanças nos hábitos alimentares diários. Conclusão: O programa teve impacto positivo em aumentar o conhecimento nutricional e mudança de comportamento alimentar; porém, para outros aspectos, principalmente envolvendo questões emocionais, outras intervenções devem ser planejadas.

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the impact of an Interdisciplinary Food, Nutrition and Health Education Program on nutrition knowledge, intention to change eating behavior, and body dissatisfaction of adolescent volleyball players. Methods: The sample consisted of 10 female volleyball players from the juvenile category of the city of Santos, São Paulo, Brazil, who participated in a program with eight monthly meetings (one discussion group followed by six educational activities and one final discussion group for evaluation). Results: Nutrition knowledge, body perception, intention to change eating behavior, eating attitudes and practices were investigated using questionnaires and discussion groups before and after the athletes' participation in ludic activities designed to address nutrition strategies for athletic performance and healthy eating, and how to deal with pressure for results and self-image. Nutrition knowledge improved from 57.0%±9.9 to 63.0%±11.8 (p=0.03) of correct answers. The mean body distortion score did not change (70.0±14.9 versus 76.5±22.4, p=0.235). Six athletes advanced in their intention to change eating behavior. Positive food practices were reported during the program and the identified discourses indicated the intention of changing the daily eating habits in the future. Conclusion: The program had a positive impact on nutrition knowledge and intention of changing eating behavior; however, for other issues, especially involving emotional aspects, further interventions should be planned.

Resumo Poucos estudos sobre o consumo alimentar de atletas avaliam a qualidade dos alimentos selecionados e os fatores que interferem nessas escolhas. Objetivou-se avaliar a dieta de atletas de esportes coletivos por meio do Índice de Qualidade da Dieta - Revisado (IQD-R), identificar seu conhecimento nutricional, estágio de intenção de mudança de comportamento alimentar (EIMCA) e identificar possíveis associações com variáveis demográficas e de antropometria. Foram avaliadas as seguintes variáveis em 72 atletas (35 homens): massa corporal (MC), estatura, IMC, percentual de gordura (%G), conhecimento nutricional (questionário), consumo alimentar (recordatório de 24-horas), qualidade da dieta (IQD-R) e EIMCA (modelo transteórico). Para a análise estatística empregou-se o teste t de Student e coeficiente de correlação de Pearson. Nenhum atleta apresentou dieta classificada como "saudável" e 45,7% (homens) e 51,4% (mulheres) apresentaram dieta "inadequada". Há baixo consumo de frutas, hortaliças, cereais integrais e leite e derivados. O componente do IQD-R "carnes, leguminosas e ovos" recebeu a melhor pontuação. Os estágios pré-contemplação (25,0%) e ação (23,6%) foram os mais frequentes. O percentual médio de acertos dos atletas no questionário de conhecimentos nutricionais foi 56,5%. Não foi observada associação entre IQD-R e as variáveis: idade, IMC, %G, EIMCA, escore de conhecimento nutricional e consumo energético. O grupo apresenta inadequação do consumo alimentar. A falta de associação entre as variáveis estudadas indica a necessidade de investigação de outros fatores que influenciam o comportamento alimentar de atletas.

Abstract Few studies about food consumption of athletes have assessed the quality of their food choices, and the factors that influence these choices. The aim of this study was to assess the diet of team sports athletes through a revised version of the Healthy Eating Index (HEI-R) in order to identify their nutritional knowledge and the stage of intention to change eating behavior (SICEB) and to identify possible association with demographic and anthropometric variables. Seventy-two athletes (35 men) were evaluated for the following variables: body mass, height, Body Mass Index (BMI), body fat percentage (BF%), nutritional knowledge (questionnaire), food intake (24-hour recall), diet quality (HEI-R) and SICEB (transtheoretical model). For statistical analysis, the Student t test and the Pearson correlation coefficient were used. None of the athletes presented diet classified as "healthy" and 45.7% (men) and 51.4% (women) had "inadequate" diets. Low consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, milk and dairy products was observed. The HEI-R "meats, legumes and eggs" component received the best scores. Pre-contemplation (25.0%) and action (23.6%) stages were the most frequent in the group. The mean percentage of correct answers in the nutritional knowledge questionnaire was 55.7% (men) and 57.3% (women). No association was found between HEI-R and variables age, BMI, BF%, SICEB, nutritional knowledge score and energy intake. This group presents inadequate dietary intake. The lack of association between study variables indicates the need to investigate other factors that influence athlete's feeding behavior.