Nutritional Status and Performance of Sepak Takraw Players Following Intervention by a Sports Dietitian

The high demand for sports abilities causes decreased performance in athletes. Nutrition may be closely related with performance decline. Dietitians play an important role in providing proper nutrition for athletes. This study aimed to determine the effect of nutrition intervention by a sports dietitian on the nutritional status and performance of sepak takraw players in The State Senior High School for Sports (SMANOR) Sidoarjo. A pre-experimental study was done using a one-group pre-post test without control design, on 27 sepak takraw players (20 boys, 7 girls) aged 14-18 years from SMANOR Sidoarjo. Participants were given nutrition interventions by a sports dietitian comprising nutrition education, nutrition counseling, and food assistance for three weeks. Nutritional status was evaluated using BMI-for-age and body fat percentage (BFP) and athletic performance using VO2 max (Bleep test method). Statistical analyses used were paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The results indicated a significant decrease in BMI-for-age (pre =-0.26 ± 0.52 and post =-1.23 ± 0.55, p ≤ 0.001), an insignificant increase in the male BFP (pre = 13.06 ± 2.22% and post = 13.44 ± 1.70%, p = 0.162), a significant increase in the female BFP (pre = 22.54 ± 2.25% and post= 23.47 ± 1.91%, p = 0.028), and there was no significant difference in the athletes’ performance (pre = 46.82 ± 6.22 and post = 46.34 ± 5.36, p = 0.360). Nutrition interventions by a dietitian have a significant effect on nutritional status according to BMI-for-age and female BFP, but not on male BFP and performing sepak takraw players in SMANOR Sidoarjo.