The Interface of Nutritional Practices of Selected Basketball Players of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, On Performance

The nutritional practices of athletes are critical to sports performance, since good result is the goal or expectations of all sports stake-holders, coaches, sports administrators/managers and spectators alike, therefore the issue of good nutrition regarding these “human machines” (athletes), calls for serious attention. This research, therefore tried to examine the nutritional practices of some selected Basketball players of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Awka, in Anambra State of Nigeria. Some 59 male and female Basketball (B/B) players were purposefully selected to participate in the study. A self developed questionnaire (r = 0.71) was administered on them and Weighted Mean Score (WMS). This was in an attempt to ascertain whether the dietary manipulations as practiced by these athletes immediately before competition, affect their performance, in any way. Findings revealed daily inadequate consumption of required proportion of nutrients and very poor timing of meals by the players.